Back To Reality

The week of rest and relaxation flew by for both Val and Matheson. After Hannah and Billy left, they decided to visit the historic First Baptist Church in Williamsburg which was the oldest Black Baptist Church in the nation and was founded in 1776.

They walked around Colonial Williamsburg after service was over and then had dinner later that evening at a restaurant where everyone was dressed in colonial attire. There was even someone playing the violin and singing throughout the dinner. Val felt that she had taken a trip back in time.

Before long, however, Friday had arrived and they had to return to Baltimore. Matheson wondered how things had been with his father taking care of everything while they were gone. He was happy that he was able to take off the two weeks, but he was refreshed and felt ready to get back to work.

He dropped Val off at her apartment and she told him that she was going to check on Mavis. He decided to go to his apartment and unpack and then call around and check on things at the store.

Val found her grandmother sitting in her living room napping. She had some knitting on her lap.

"Grandma, are you alright?" Val asked as she walked in using the keys that Mavis had given to her.

Mavis opened her eyes and smiled. "I'm fine baby. When did you get back? Where's Matheson?"

Val walked over to the sofa and sat next to her. "He went home to unpack. He dropped me off about an hour ago and I came by here to check on you."

Mavis stretched and stood up. "I'm just fine. Emily's been by here every day checking on me. She even made me spend the night with her and Mr. Gregory a couple of days ago."

Val smiled. "Well I'm glad about that. I know she loves you."

Mavis laughed. "I remember a time when you couldn't understand why I was so taken with my former employers."

Val didn't reply and Mavis got up and went into the kitchen with Val following her.

"We've set the date" she said watching her grandmother turn on the kettle that was on the stove.

Mavis looked at her and patted her on the arm. "So tell me. When is it?"

"October 18. We set the date while we were in Williamsburg" Val replied. She watched as her grandmother got a tea bag and put it in a cup. She took the cup that Mavis offered her and then followed her back to the living room.

"Well that's good." Mavis said slowly. "Are you going to tell your father's folks?"

Val rolled her eyes. She didn't want to think about them. "I don't want to talk about them after the way my grandmother treated me and Matheson"

"I know, baby" Mavis said as the kettle began to boil. She picked it up and poured the tea in to both of their cups. "They are still your family. You should invite them."

Val walked back into the living room and sat on the sofa. "I'll think about it."

Mavis patted her on the knee. "I know you'll do the right thing, baby"

Val wasn't so sure what that meant right now. She didn't want her other Grandmother ruining her wedding. Then she thought about Tameka and a cold chill ran over her. What had happened there?  They used to be so close when they were kids.  No, she didn't want any of them to be at her wedding. She wasn't as forgiving as her grandmother.

She talked to Mavis a while longer telling her all about her week in Williamsburg and relating the change in Hannah Hendricks. Mavis was surprised.

"She and Ms. Emily have been at each other's throats since they've known each other." Mavis replied laughing. " Emily was upset that Hannah never accepted her marriage to her brother. Hannah was angry that Emily had her eyes on her brother at such a young age. Hannah adored Mr. Gregory! Mr. Gregory had to come in between them more than once. I can think of several occasions that they tried to scratch each other's eyes out. They were younger then though. I think they've calmed down and do more bickering than actual fighting now."

Val shook her head. "Well Hannah has changed for the better. I can guarantee you that. I hope for Matheson's sake that the two of them can call a truce."

"Well that will be something to see for sure." Mavis said as Val headed to the door. "You go on now. I'm expecting Ms. Emily to pop up later on. Does she know the two of you are back?"

"I'm sure Matheson has called them by now" Val said giving her a kiss. "I'll see you later, Grandma"

Val left her grandmother's thinking about what she said about inviting her father's family. She didn't think that they would take the snub lightly if she did not invite them, yet she wasn't sure what antics they would perform if she did. She sighed and headed back to her apartment.

She was surprised to see Matheson waiting for her when she pulled up.

She got out of her car and walked over to his and he rolled down the window.

"Back so soon?" she asked jokingly. Seeing the look on his face, she quickly regrouped.

"What's wrong?"

Matheson sighed. "We need to go over my parent's house. It seems that my grandfather showed up last night. Apparently Uncle Billy told him that we had set the date and he confronted my father. He of course was surprised because we hadn't told them yet. I didn't want to tell them on the phone. I wanted to tell them in person. I told Billy that I was going to tell my parents when we got back. I wish he had honored my wishes and not said anything."

Val walked around the car and got in. "Are they mad?"

Matheson began to back out of the parking lot. "Irritated is more like it"

Matheson didn't say much on the way to his parent's house. He wondered how his mother would react to all that had happened. He could only hope that his grandfather would be on good behavior with Val being there, but a part of him seriously doubted that.

He pulled up in the driveway and looked for a car. His grandfather no longer drove and most likely had someone bring him to Maryland. There wasn't an extra car in the driveway. His grandfather could have caught a plane and had his son pick him up at the airport.

They got out of the car and Matheson walked into the house first not knowing what to expect. He heard voices coming from the den and nodded for Val to follow him. He took her hand in his and led her into the den. William Hendricks, Sr. sat in the overstuffed chair that was his father's. Matheson noticed that he was thinner, but his eyes were alert and he spotted them as soon as they walked in. William Hendricks, Sr. looked at Val and narrowed his eyes before shifting them to Matheson.

"Matheson!" he snapped. "We need to talk….privately."

Matheson walked over to his grandfather still holding Val's hand.

"Gramps this is Valysia. She is my fiancée." He looked at his father and mother who were sitting on the sofa obviously on edge. Matheson thought that they looked like a pair of chastised children sitting there. He turned back to his grandfather.

"Whatever you have to say, you can say in front of Val. She's going to be my wife" he said squeezing her hand.

His grandfather grunted. "This is family business and this woman isn't family yet and it won't happen at all if I have anything to say about it!"

Val gasped but didn't reply. She felt Matheson's hand tighten over hers.

"You don't have anything to say about it Gramps. It's my decision and I expect you to be respectful of the choice I've made." Matheson then dropped her hand and put his arm around her waist.

"This girl is hardly an appropriate mate for you, son" Gramps replied.

"I beg to differ with you" Matheson snapped. "My decision is final. The date has been set for October."

His father stood up walking over to them. "So I heard…I just wish I had heard it from you!"

Matheson watched as his father then walked over to the liquor case and poured himself a drink. His mother followed him and poured herself one also. Matheson raised an eyebrow. His mother rarely drank and her actions surprised him.

"Dad, I planned on telling you both face to face when we returned from Williamsburg. I told Uncle Billy as much and I am disappointed that he didn't honor my wishes to keep it quiet until I could talk to you."

Gramps laughed at that remark and turned back to Matheson. "Billy is worse than a broken refrigerator, boy. He can't keep anything. Now that Hannah, she'll keep your secrets locked up tight. "

"You told her?" Emily said walking over to Matheson. "How could you tell her before you even told us, Matheson?"

"Ma, it was a spur of the moment decision. I'm not sorry we made it, I'm just sorry that you had to find out the way that you did" Matheson replied.

He was totally frustrated. Things were not going the way he planned at all. His mother began to pace which was something he dreaded. His father was working on his second vodka and orange juice and Gramps was being his regular intimidating self.

Matheson looked at him, his hair thinner than her remembered but was snow white. His grandfather still had a full head of hair and now ran his hand through it as he watched his son drink and Emily pace back and forth. His large blue eyes reminded Matheson of his father and his facial hair reminded him of Colonel Sanders minus the beard. Even though he moved slower now that he was older, his mind was still as sharp as a tack and Matheson knew that he was not going to play nice.

"This thing needs to be called off immediately" Gramps replied. "It's the craziest damn thing I've ever heard!" He looked at Val. "I understand you're that woman Mavis' granddaughter."

"That's right" Val replied.

He turned and looked at Gregory. "Son, isn't she from North or South Carolina? Those people are known to work roots on people. She probably put something in Matheson's drink to get her claws in him."

Val looked at Matheson and almost burst out laughing. It seemed the Hendricks had a habit of talking about people as if they weren't there.

"I don't know anything about working roots, Mr. Hendricks" Val snapped. "That's absurd!"

"Of course you would deny it" Gramps replied. "But I know how you people operate."

Matheson quickly spoke up. "And how is that, Gramps? How do they operate? I told you before that I'm in love with her and I'm going to marry her. You need to accept it and if you can't you can stay home and not come to the wedding."

Gramps stood up and leaned on the cane he had beside the chair. He turned to Matheson and pointed his finger in his face.

"Look here, boy. I'm not taking no sass off of you! You will show me respect! You get a little piece of black tail and you've lost your mind!"

"I respect you Gramps" Matheson replied looking up to see his mother pacing back and forth. "I am marrying Valysia and I'm not changing my mind. I would appreciate it if you show me and my fiancée that same respect!"

Gramps grunted. "Damn fool"

He watched Emily pace for a second. "Daughter, don't you get yourself upset over this now. I'm sure that your son is not going to ruin the family name by marrying this colored girl. We'll talk some sense into him!"

"Pops, Val won't ruin the family" Emily replied. She stopped pacing and walked over to him, her voice pleading. "She's Mavis' granddaughter. When she and Matheson get married, we'll be a real family. Mavis is the only mother I've ever known. You know Mavis is a decent person."

Gramps rolled his eyes. "Look girl, I know you're the sentimental type and all, but it's foolhardy to try to create a mother by marrying your only son off to her granddaughter! She was your paid servant! She took care of you because she was paid to do so! Don't get it all twisted up in that head of yours. This is about Matheson's future. He's your only son! Don't you want some grandchildren?"

Emily began to pace again. "Don't you dare say that Mavis is not my mother! I love her and she loves me! If you continue to talk like this, I'll have to ask you to leave my home even if you are Gregory's father!"

Emily looked at Val and quickly grabbed her hand. "You and my Matheson do plan on having some babies, right?"

"Yes, eventually" Val replied smiling.

"I don't want no damn pickaninny grandchildren!" Gramps snapped.

"That's enough, Pop" Gregory said. "You're being disrespectful to Valysia with such talk and you're upsetting Emily."

Gramps walked over to his son and pointed the cane at him. "I would think that you'd be on my side. You can't tell me that you approve of this ...this …engagement or whatever the hell they call it!"

Gregory sighed. "Look, I wasn't too happy about it myself at first." He looked at Val and then to his son. "But they love each other. I'm sure of that. Matheson is thirty one years old. He's a grown man and I can't tell him what to do-"

"You can do something!" Gramps snapped interrupting him. "Cut the funds off! Take the store back!"

"I would never do that" Gregory replied. "I can't run things like I used to, Pops. I'm getting older. Besides that, Matheson has gotten quite a bit of money already from his mother. I would never try to manipulate him with money. He does an excellent job running the store. Times are changing. We have to change with the times. I didn't think I'd accept it either, but things could be a lot worse than him marrying someone of another race."

Gramps tapped his cane on the floor in frustration and sat back down. "I don't care times are changing! The world's going mad! What in the world would possess him to marry this girl?"

"Gramps, I love her" Matheson said staring at his grandfather. "I chose her with my heart. Remember what you told Dad about choosing a mate...with your head, penis or heart. I chose her with my heart."

Gramps looked at him and then at Val. "Come over here, Gal" he snapped.

Val looked at Matheson and then walked over to Gramps.

He stared at her a moment. "Turn around"

She looked at Matheson again, but quickly turned around in front of him wondering what this was all about.

"Well, you got the hips for lots of babies. I can say that much" he cackled. "I heard you were down at the house in Virginia. For all we know the girl could be pregnant right now. Is this why you're talking about marrying?"

"I'm not pregnant!" Val replied.

"That's usually why you people get married, if you get married at all. How many other babies do you have?" he asked glancing back at Matheson.

Emily caught her breath at the insult.

"Now Pops that's enough" she snapped before Val could respond. "Val is a good girl."

"She's not so good if she's giving it up to your boy!" Gramps responded. "Billy told me that she was a virgin until your boy broke her in. More than likely that is why he feels obligated no doubt."

Val couldn't listen anymore. He was talking about her like she was a prize cow or something. She knew that Matheson's grandfather was almost ninety, but still! She wasn't going to take any more of his insults.

"Mr. Hendricks, I don't appreciate you talking about me as if I wasn't here and the things you are saying are degrading and racist!" She looked at Matheson. "Take me home, Matheson."

"Gramps, I think you need to apologize to Val" Matheson snapped.

"Apologize?" he asked looking surprised. "What the hell do I have to apologize for?"

"Pops you were rude" Emily said pacing again.

Gramps grunted again. "Considering the conversation, I think that I restrained myself fairly well!"

Matheson started to speak and his father raised his hand. "Look, Pop" he said looking at his father. "You had better get used to the idea or you're going to have to stay in Florida and not come to the wedding as Matheson said. "

"You can't tell me not to come to my only grandson's wedding." Gramps replied.

"I can and I will" Gregory said seriously.

Gramps grunted again and quickly changed the subject. "I'm tired. I have to sleep on this. Emily take me to my room" he commanded.

Emily stopped pacing and quickly walked over to him. "Pops, now I don't want you to upset yourself. You just sleep on it and give yourself time to adjust. I'm sure you'll see things differently after a good night's slieep!"

"Humph!" Gramps replied leaving the room with Emily guiding him.

Gregory watched as Emily led him to the stairs and he then turned back to Val and Matheson.

"I'm sorry about that, Valysia" he replied.

"It's not your fault" she said. "I'm just grateful that you took up for me considering that not so long ago you felt the same way."

"Well I wasn't that vocal about it" Gregory replied. "I did try to be somewhat diplomatic when you first told me."

"Pickaninny grandchildren!" Val responded giggling. "My my I haven't heard that term in years."

"I'm sorry about that" Gregory said looking sheepish. "I guess he thinks it's still 1950"

"Don't be" Val said giggling. "Just my luck those pickaninny babies will look just like your father."