“And this is his last year in school,” Lauren pointed out. “I’m very proud of him.”
“We all are,” Janay added.
“He has done well for himself considering the circumstances. It warms my heart that all he wants to do tomorrow while your dad and are at the funeral is sit with Kita at the hospital with his mom.”
“Aww, that’s him.” Kerry spoke. “He’s such the opposite of his mom. He must get that from-” she cut herself off not wanting to even mention Royce’s perverted ass daddy.
“He gets that from Dad,” Janay spoke up.
Mrs. Ware smiled. “I can agree with that.”
**********
Three hours later, the young Bishop Finn Carter, was wrapping up his sermon at Spring Treaty Baptist Church. He preached about keeping the faith and never giving up. He’d held an explosive service and was now closing up the last part of the word while giving his all as his voice bellowed throughout the small church. The piano began to play in the background causing some of the people to stand to their feet in a spiritual uproar. Some even catching the Holy Ghost as the powerful word being spoken touched their souls.
Janay smiled admiring her sexy man and the calling that had been placed upon his life. The more she saw him give the word the more she believed in his ability to reach the people. Bishop Carter looked out at his wife and n-laws sitting on the front row of the church peers and smiled. There was something weighing on his heart that wanted him to reach them, because he knew that they’d been going through it. He loved this family like his own and if he could let them know that they weren’t alone then this trip wouldn’t be in vain.
“The Ware family means so much to me. I love this Family so much.” He said with a smile. “For those that don’t know, my beautiful wife is Janay and we’re expecting our first child. May God bless our family and please God, bless our child.” He said with a nod of the head. “Amen.”
The church then repeated after him… “Amen.”
“I also ask for the continuance prayer of Bianca Ware and that God sees fit for her to awake in good spirits and ready to take on life with a greater mission. There will be a burial tomorrow of a special young man that was once in my sister-n-law’s life. He was a father, a son, a brother, and a friend to many. Please keep his family in your prayer.” Bishop Carter wiped his forehead with the white handkerchief that was in his hand. “Amen.”
The church then repeated after him… “Amen.”
He directed his attention to Mrs. Ware, back over to each of the sisters then at the kids. “I know that it’s not been an easy time my family, but please know that you’re not alone.” He said then glanced around at the whole church. “No one in here is ever alone!” He spoke out loud as the piano grew louder in the background. This, in turn, caused the people to connect with his words of encouragement even more.” He wiped the sweat from his forehead again then continued.
“When I need the strength to keep going, the best place to which I know to turn is God’s Word. NEVER GIVE UP THE FAITH! KEEP GOING! KEEP RUNNING! KEEP MOVING!” He shouted out stomping his feet as he felt the movement of the spirit take him over. “KEEP PRAYING! KEEP PRAYING!” He took in a deep breath then went back at it in full force. “KEEP RUNNING! KEEP SPEAKING IT! GOD,” he shook his head. “Y’ALL DON’T HEAR ME!” He shouted. “KEEP PRAYING! KEEP PRAYING!” By this time the whole church was on their feet and shouting! “Please family,” he said as the piano tunes slowed to his pace and the tempo in his voice had calmed. “Keep the faith and keep praying.” He encouraged, closing the sermon out. He’d done a job well done and his in-laws were more than proud of him.
Mrs. Ware and the family was standing up, shouting, and crying. The sermon was great and Mr. Ware couldn’t have given them a better surprise than having Finn show up there to preach for them on such unexpected visit.
**********
Once the church had cleared out the family was finally heading outside. Everyone was laughing and talking on the church grounds trying to figure out where they were going to eat out at.
“How about Olive Garden?” ShaKita asked already knowing that was their mom’s favorite place. Before anyone could answer a new black Honda Accord pulled up directly in front of them. A guy wearing a salesman shirt got out and immediately looked at them.
“Is uh,” he said looking around. “Is Royce Ware out here?”
Royce raised a concerned eyebrow. “Uh, yeah,” he spoke up. “I’m Royce Ware.”
The car salesman smiled. “Nice to meet you my man, I’m Gary. Your grandfather, Mr. Ware, wanted me to deliver this to you for being such the perfect grandson. He says that you are one of kind and that you’ve made him and grandmother very proud.” Royce smiled from ear to ear with tears in his eyes. He looked at the car in shock.
“Are you serious, man?” He questioned as Mrs. Ware and his aunts wiped their happy tears for him.
“I’m so serious,” the man spoke. “You’re a senior this year and obviously you deserve it.”
The day was beyond BLESSED Mrs. Ware thought as she stood there with great hopes of things to come. Her husband had certainly outdone himself and she was more than thankful. She looked down as her cell phone began to ring. It was him. She knew that he was calling to hear how wonderful of a husband that he was and she definitely didn’t mind telling him.
“Hey Honey,” she quickly answered the phone.
“Hey Mommy,” a soft voice spoke from the other end of the line. Mrs. Ware gasped for air, almost dropping the phone. Only one of their daughters still called her Mommy. No matter how old she got, she never outgrew the word. She may have been rebellious, sometimes the most cut throat one of them all, but still she was her heart and no matter what order her girls were born in she would always be the one right next to the baby girl… the one and the only, Bianca Ware.
Chapter6
The next morning the sisters stood in Bianca’s room waiting for the inevitable. Lauren bit on her nails staring intently as Mr. and Mrs. Ware broke the news that Kory had been killed in the car wreck that she and him had been involved a week prior. She sat there twiddling her fingers looking at them. Nothing had yet escaped her lips. It was as if she was still processing the information that she’d been in a coma for over a week and that her daughter’ father didn’t make it out the accident alive.
Mr. Ware leaned over and touched the back of her hand. “Bianca, are you okay?” He asked. She didn’t say a word. She sat there quiet as she looked around the room at her sisters. Kerry sadly stared at her not knowing what to say. ShaKita felt so bad that she couldn’t even make eye contact so she dropped her head. Lauren whispered, “We love you, B.”
Janay stood up and wobbled over to her sister, placing her arm around Bianca’s neck. Her heart ached for her and there was nothing they could do but show her as much love and support as possible. Janay finally backed up allowing Mrs. Ware to step in as she wrapped her arms around her daughter.
“We love you, baby. You’re going to be okay,” she whispered in her ear. Bianca was quiet as a mouse still not saying a word.
Kerry stood back not knowing what to expect because Bianca was very unpredictable. It was already amazing within itself how she awakened out the blue and remembered everything up until the point of the accident. There was no knowledge of it and from the looks of things it seemed that Bianca wished that they’d just kept it to themselves.
The doctor walked into the room breaking the disturbing silence. Mr. Ware immediately turned to face him.
“Hey Doctor, how are things looking with my baby?” He asked.
“Things are looking great,” he said walking over to Bianca and checking her eyes with the light on the end of his pen. “Bianca’s test came back normal. I don’t even see any reason why she can’t go home today.”
“That’s wonderful news,” Mrs. Ware responded as she and the family smiled.
“How are you feeling?” The doctor asked her.
“I’m okay,” she nonchalantly answered, but thoughts of Kory’s death flooded her thoughts. “I’m ready to go home. You said I can leave today, right?” She asked just to double check again.
“Sure,” the doctor said. “I’ll have your release papers written up soon. I will need for you to follow up with your family doctor in a week, but if anything happens such as unexpected headaches, blurred visions, pains, etc. Please, don’t hesitate to return back here immediately.” He said.
“She won’t,” Mr. Ware answered for her.
The doctor touched the back of her hand and smiled. “You were very lucky young lady. Your family stayed with you around the clock. You should be very happy to have them in your life. Y’all be good and continue to take care of each other.” He glanced around the room and smiled at everyone. “Bianca, make sure that you take it easy for the next couple of weeks. Don’t push yourself too much. Just take your time getting back in the swing of things,” he informed her then made his exit.
**********
ShaKita pulled up to the gas station and looked over at Bianca. Since speaking with the doctor she hadn’t said a word to any of them. Back at the hospital, she got out of the bed like there was nothing wrong with her then walked inside the bathroom alone and came out fully dressed. They didn’t know whether to feel good or scared because it seemed as if the old Bianca had awakened and even more unpredictable.
Once the family was ready to leave it was apparent that Bianca wasn’t riding with anyone but ShaKita since she was now sitting next to her in the passenger seat of her 2012 Ford Fusion. The minute they pulled out of the hospital parking lot Bianca turned up the music and let the window all the way down as if it wasn’t below fifty degrees outside already. ShaKita only turned up the heat and kept driving. If this was somehow making Bianca feel better then she was going to oblige quietly.
While parked at the pumps, she turned back the key ignition and looked over at her sister. She looked sad and lost. Her pretty brown skin tone looked dull and her small beaded eyes looked depressing. There was no glimmer of hope there, no light. ShaKita felt bad for her as she reached in the backseat and grabbed her purse.
“Sis, are you okay?” Bianca nodded her head. “Please, just talk to me.” She pleaded.
Bianca sadly looked over at her. “Will you take me to Kory’s funeral?”
ShaKita’s mouth flew open. “Bianca noooooo,” she quickly said. “You’re in no shape to be attending this funeral.”
“How do you figure that?” She said eyes starting to glisten. “Kory was my boyfriend, my daughter’s father, and the only man that ever took care of me outside of Daddy.”
“I know you feel that way, B, but you’re just getting out of the hospital yourself. Are you sure that you can take something like this?” ShaKita asked out of concern.
“If I don’t go it’ll eat at me for the rest of my life, Kita. I have to see him one last time before they put him under.”
ShaKita’s back was against the wall, but there was nothing else that she could do. “Okay, but we’re only staying long enough for you to say your goodbyes. Maybe I can speak with his mother and they’ll let you have a few minutes of alone time with him.”
“Thanks Kita,” Bianca said. “I’m just gonna go inside the store and check myself in the restroom mirror while you pump the gas.”
“Good idea,” ShaKita was thinking as they both exited the car. Once outside the car she immediately reached for her cell phone and dialed their mom’s number.
“Yes, Kita,” Mrs. Ware answered.
“Mom, Bianca wants me to take her to the funeral.”
“What!” Mrs. Ware shrieked from the other end of the phone. “No, Kita! Do not take her there. Those people didn’t care for Bianca no more than we cared for Kory. There was a reason why we never met them. They thought that Bianca was his bad habit and we thought that he was hers.” She explained. “This could be disastrous.”
“Well, she’s insisting on me taking her. She says that she has to see him one last time or she won’t be the same.”
“I knew that I should’ve followed you,” Mrs. Ware said instantly making a U-turn in the middle of the street.
“Mom, what are you doing?” Kerry asked with a frown on her face as she looked at Lauren who was in the back seat looking baffled.
“I need to call your Father.” Mrs. Ware said.
“Well, I’m at the Sprint store off of 5
th
and Brown Street. Hurry up because she’s coming back out the store now.”
“Stall her,” Mrs. Ware spoke. “Do not leave that store!” She sternly ordered then ended the call. ShaKita started pumping the gas and smiled at Bianca as she made her way over to her.
Bianca stood in front of her baby sister then hugged her. “Kita, I just wanna thank you so much for doing this for me. I know that you really don’t wanna be involved in this, but all I wanna do is pay my respects to the man I love. I promise you that’s it.” She sincerely said. ShaKita could tell that Bianca was coming from a good place, but still she didn’t feel that this was the best thing for her at the moment.
“You know, maybe I should call Mommy and ask her to meet me there,” Bianca said. “I just need her support. I don’t think that I can do this without her.” She said reaching for ShaKita’s phone.
“I think that’s a great idea,” ShaKita said, handing her phone over. She knew that their mom would stall her until she got there and she’d rather her deal with Bianca than herself. No sooner than she could pull the pump from the car’s tank Bianca had sped away in the car leaving ShaKita standing there with her mouth wide open in ABSOLUTE SHOCK!