“Real talk... your moms has helped me get through some things these last few years. All of her prayers seem to be working for me.” Ramsey Jr. spread out his arms and looked around at the tree lined scenery as Dontae continued driving. “I’m back in North Carolina, aren’t I?”
“Where the pollen is high and the women want more than a brother can give.”
“I feel a sneeze coming on now. But that’s all right. It’s only unbearable for about the first couple weeks of spring.”
“At least flowers are blooming all over the place in Charlotte,” Dontae commented.
“I can hardly wait to get there.”
Dontae came to a red light. He stopped the car and turned to his step-brother. “I was thinking...” He hesitated, and then charged on in, “that since you’ll be staying with me for a while, I want to introduce you to one of Jewel’s sisters. We can double date or something.”
Ramsey adamantly shook his head. “Not interested, bro. I just shook off a woman who I didn’t know was bipolar until she came at me with a knife. I’m still trying to get my head together from that.”
“Come on, Ramsey, I need your help.”
With furrowed brows, Ramsey asked, “What are you talking about? Since when do you need help with Jewel? The two of you have been into each other from the moment you met.”
Dontae wished he didn’t have to talk about what happened between him and Jewel, but he was desperate to get her back and needed help from his brother to make it happen. “We broke up.”
“What do you mean, you broke up? You just bought her an engagement ring two weeks ago.”
“She gave it back. Got upset when I handed her the prenup.”
“I told you it was a bad idea.”
“Look, I love Jewel and all, but I’m not about to give her half my money if she decides to leave me for some other man twenty years from now.”
“You are such a cynic,” Ramsey said, laughing at Dontae’s comment.
“No. I’m a realist. And Jewel needs to understand just how real things could get if she or I ever decide to divorce.”
“Wow. You and Jewel haven’t even gotten married yet, and you’re already thinking about divorce.”
“Hey, I’m just being a realistic.”
“No,” Ramsey said, “You’re just being cynical and trying to make Jewel pay for something that happened before she met you.”
Dontae knew that Ramsey spoke the truth. His father had caused him to be a bit jaded. But dealing with a woman like Tory had also caused Dontae to doubt the reality of happily-ever-after. Once things weren’t going the way she wanted them to go, he wasn’t hearing sweet nothings from her anymore... seemed like the love Tory had for him just got up and left. If Jewel ever flipped a switch and started acting like Tory, he’d be heartbroken, but he’d still have his money to keep him company, which was why Jewel signing that prenuptial agreement was so important to him.
“Not to bring it up like this, but you are going to be staying at my house rent free. So, I think that one good turn deserves another.”
“I’ll pay rent if it’s that big of a deal. I’m only going to be crashing with you long enough to find my own place anyway,” Ramsey reminded Dontae.
Feeling guilty for the unnecessary comment, Dontae back tracked. “I’m not trying to charge you rent. I shouldn’t have said it like that. I’m just desperate, man. Jewel is the one for me, so I really need your help.”
“Just drop the whole prenup idea and your problem is solved.”
Dontae shook his head. The look on his face was set, as if he was thinking about Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and all the other brothers who gambled and lost without a prenup. Oh sure, Kobe’s wife stayed, but if she had pulled the trigger on that multi-million dollar divorce, Kobe would have been out hocking shirts, shoes and sodas to keep up with his standard of living. “I can’t do that. Call me a fool. Call me jaded or whatever. But I just don’t believe that people should go into marriage with their heart hanging out of their chest, without stopping to think about what could and probably would end up going wrong down the line.”
“If I don’t know nothing else, I know about things going horribly wrong,” Ramsey said as he leaned back in his seat.
Dontae and Ramsey were both sinfully handsome and successful young men. But they had both experienced trauma that had changed their view of love, faith and God’s ability to handle the things that concerned them. As smart as they were, neither man knew how to get out of his own way.
Ramsey popped up. “Ronny’s traveling back to Charlotte with us. He’s going to help me get my stuff set up in your house and in a storage unit.”
“I can help you with that,” Dontae said.
“Not with that knee of yours, you can’t. I’m not going to be the one responsible for getting Carmella’s boy all banged up again.”
“What I mean is, we can pay a service to handle that for you.”
“Naw, that’s okay. Ronny just lost another job and I’d like to be able to put some money in his hands. And I’d like to spend some time with him before I start my new job. I told dad that I’d figure out what Ronny’s next move should be.”
Pulling into his mother’s driveway, Dontae turned off the car and then asked Ramsey, “Do you think Ronny will help me out?”
Ramsey laughed. “Two women are involved, right?”
Dontae smiled at that. Ronny was definitely a ladies’ man. “I forgot who we were talking about.” Dontae nodded toward the front door. “You go on in, the family’s waiting on you. I’m going to give Jewel’s sister a call and tell her it’s a go.”
Ramsey put his hand on Dontae’s shoulder. He had a sincere look on his face as he said, “I know we’ve only been brothers for the last eight years, but I just want you to know that I’m glad that we are family.”
“Yeah, me too,” Dontae said as he pulled his cell phone out and made a call to the woman he hoped would be his future sister-in-law.
---
The first person Dontae saw as he stepped into the house was Lance, his sister’s husband. They shook hands and then Lance told him, “Man, am I glad you and Ramsey are here. I’m hungrier than a hostage and Carmella said we couldn’t eat until you two rock heads got here.”
“Stop.” Dontae put up a hand. “I don’t think I can handle all the love you’re throwing my way.”
“Don’t get it twisted,” Lance told him, “Family is good, but when you’re hungry and your mother-in-law cooks like an Iron Chef, food is better.”
The two men laughed as they joined the rest of the family. Carmella was busily uncovering the food as Dontae walked into the dining room. She turned and caught a glimpse of her son and then got the biggest grin on her face. “Come on in here, boy. I been waiting all day to give you a hug.”
Even though his heart was heavy because of the situation with Jewel, Dontae yet and still smiled back at his mother. He could only remember one time in his life when his mother hadn’t been there for him. With the horror stories he’d heard from other men about the things their mothers had done to them, Dontae wasn’t about to dwell on one incident. “Hey Moms, I’m happy to see you, too,” he said as they hugged. As he peeked over her shoulder, he added, “but I’m even happier to see that mac and cheese on the table.”
“See Mom, I told you that I should be your favorite. This boy would take food over you,” Joy said as she walked over and hugged her brother.
“Stop all that foolish talk, Joy Lynn. I have been blessed with seven children, two by birth and five by marriage and I love you all with a mother’s heart,” Carmella declared for everyone’s hearing.
After that the family sat down to dinner. They talked, laughed and then played Trivia and Sequence. The ones who weren’t playing either game got comfortable on the sofa and watched a movie. If anyone had looked into the Marshall household ten years ago, they never would have believed that all that sadness and dysfunction would one day turn into great joy.
As Ronny, Ramsey and Dontae stood, preparing to take that two hour drive from Raleigh to Charlotte, Carmella remembered something that she needed to tell Dontae. Ramsey and Ronny walked out to the car and Carmella grabbed hold of Dontae’s arm and pulled him to the side. “Guess who I saw yesterday?”
Dontae gave her a blank stare. “I wouldn’t know where to begin.”
“Okay, okay... Coach Linden moved back to town. The school has hired him back and they are throwing an awards banquet for him.” The excitement shone through with every word Carmella spoke.
Dontae didn’t say anything.
Bringing her excitement down a notch or two, Carmella said, “I thought you’d want to know. I asked him to send the invitations to the banquet to my house because I thought you would want to attend.”
A storm was brewing in Dontae’s eyes as he said, “I don’t want to attend. And I don’t want you to go either.” He turned and walked out of the house without further explanation.
Ramsey’s Praise
Book 4 in the
Praise Him Anyhow Series
by
Vanessa Miller
Uncorrected Proof
1
She was standing about six feet away from him, holding a beautiful bridal bouquet when Ramsey Thomas first took notice of her. Long flowing hair, olive skin tone, sparkling hazel colored eyes. The gown she was wearing showed off every bit of her shapely body. Ramsey almost to the point of drooling when his brother Ronny nudged his shoulder and said, “Please tell me you’re not drooling over the bride like that?”
Ramsey turned to his brother with furrowed eyebrows. The bride was Jewel Dawson and she was marrying his younger brother, Dontae Marshall. Ramsey was the best man so it would be a bit awkward if he was standing before God and a whole congregation of folks lusting after the bride. “Shut up, idiot. I’m not drooling over Jewel,” Ramsey whispered and then turned back around so he could continue taking in the lovely view of Maxine Dawson, Jewel’s oldest sister and Maid of Honor.
A few months back Dontae had tried to hook him up with one of the Dawson sisters, but he’d been completely wrong about which one Ramsey would be interested in. Dawn, the middle sister, all though just as beautiful as her other sisters, she was too short for him, and their personalities lending more to them becoming the best of friends rather than having any kind of love connection. But Maxine Dawson was a woman that Ramsey would like to invest some time getting to know.
As if feeling his gaze on her, Maxine’s eyes met Ramsey’s just as the preacher said, “I now pronounce you man and wife.” As Dontae took Jewel in his arms, Ramsey winked at Maxine. He grinned as her cheeks turned red from blushing.
Ramsey wanted to ask her on a date right then and there. But no matter how much Maxine was taking up space in his head, he wouldn’t do anything to spoil this moment for his brother.
Later that evening, while at the reception Ramsey was standing with his father, Ramsey senior and his step mother, Carmella when they started in on him. “I guess we’ll be attending you wedding next, ay, son?”
Ramsey ignored his father and let his eyes span the room. He was looking for Maxine but he’d never admit that to his father, and certainly not to Mama Carmella. If she knew he had his eye on a woman, she’d start praying and call down Elijah, Mosses and a couple heavenly angels to get Ram to make a move. Ram was the nickname Mama Carmella had given him. His family had taken to calling him that as a way of distinguishing from him and his father.
“Who’s that Renee is talking to?” Carmella asked, pointing over by the DJ booth.
Ramsey’s head swivel back around. He had three sisters, Joy, Raven and Renee. And he was very protective over all of them. But he tended to watch out for Renee just a bit more. The girl made a career out of finding bad in a room full of good. Ramsey recognized the smooth talker Renee was grinning up at immediately. Marlin Jones was a high powered real-estate developer whom Ramsey had dealt with on occasion. He didn’t like the way the man did business. There was something too slick about him. “I’ll be back,” Ramsey told his parents.
Carmella caught his arm. “Now Ram, don’t you go over there bothering your sister. She is old enough to make her own decisions.”
“I’m not going to do anything. I know the guy so I just want to say hello.” And goodbye, he added under his breath. As Ram pressed forward, Marlin put his hand on Renee’s shoulder, her head fell back as she laughed ridiculously at something the man must have said. Marlin must have been telling Renee the funny one about how his tax returns were complete fiction and how the IRS was about to audit him for all of his shenanigans.
“I like the way you laugh. I normally don’t come to weddings, but I’m so glad I accepted this invitation,” Marlin was saying as Ram advance on them.
“And why is that,” Renee asked, beaming up at Marlin.
“Because I met the most beautiful girl in the whole state of North Carolina.”
Ram wanted to throw up all over Marlin’s playa rap. He only prayed that Renee could see through the him. But just in case she couldn’t he was about to do some playa hating. Ram tapped Marlin on the shoulder and said, “Marlin, I didn’t know you were attending my brother’s wedding.”
Swinging around, Marlin had to lift his head to address Ramsey who was at least a half foot talker than he. “Hey Ramsey, I had no idea that Dontae was your brother. But my mom is best friend’s with Jewel’s mom so I had to come.”
“Gotcha.” Ramsey threw a look at Renee and then told Marlin, “Well it was nice seeing you. Do you mind if I have a word with my little sister.”
“I thought Charlotte was a big city. But look how small it’s suddenly become. I can not believe that this beautiful woman standing next to me is related to someone with a mug like yours,” Marlin said lightheartedly.
“Believe it.” Ram didn’t know how much longer he could hold his fake smile in place, so he quickly put his arm around Renee and began walking away from Marlin. “See you later,” Ram said while still smiling and waving.
“What are you up to, Ram?”
“I’m just trying to get you away from that guy.”
With a quizzical expression on her face, Renee wanted to know, “Why in the world would you do something like that.” She pointed toward Marlin. “The guy is a dream... successful, handsome. There’s no bum stamp on his forehead.”