The Black Love Moment

Stephanie

I am sitting on the couch watching Bridgerton sipping from a glass of celery juice when the phone rings. I’m lost in the drama and in shock of the light dusting of snow that now lays on the lawn. For this time of year in Michigan, a light dusting is considered an early spring. Daphne just found out that the prince is interested in her. However, I know her heart is with the Duke. Quiet as kept, my heart is with the Duke too. The Duke is F-I-N-E. Whew child. Any who, no matter how fine he is, there is absolutely no way I could have lived during the early 1800’s. I cannot imagine the pressure women had to marry, have children, and be completely dependent on a man for resources.

The phone rings again and I remain unbothered. I am certain it is a bill collector, so I don’t rise from my spot on my comfy blue couch. I enjoy the few moments of downtime I have before Denise comes whisking in and intrudes upon my utopia, and the last thing I want to do is entertain a bill collector for a bill that I am not paying right now. Our 25th anniversary is in two months and I am sure Denise has made no plans.

The bothersome noise of the phone vibrating and then stopping and then starting again was irking my nerves to say the least. I look at the phone, the call is from “Unknown,” and I answer just to make it stop.

“What! I’m not interested.” I answered in a chagrin tone, standing next to the dining room table, one hand is resting on my forehead.

“Mrs. Richardson?” the man asks. I was a half a second away from telling this guy that he has the wrong number.

“This is she”

“Mrs. Richardson, this is Daniel Lewis.” I’ve met him several times. He’s been a constant in Jewel’s life for over two years, but not a “boyfriend” by title. Countless times I’ve heard his name: "Daniel and I did this…Daniel and I did that…”

"Am I interrupting?” He asks.

I take a gasp, “Oh no, Daniel, I just finished exercising,” I lie.

Jewel will be twenty-one in a couple of months. She was supposed to have been born on Valentine’s Day, but she was a week and a half late. I assume this is the reason behind Daniel’s call—He wants to plan a surprise party for my daughter? Proposal maybe?

“Mrs. Richardson, Jewel didn’t show up for work today” he says.

This caught me completely off guard, but I am fast on my feet. “She must be ill,” I immediately respond. My first mind is always to cover for my baby. She must have a good reason not to show up for work nor call in her absence. I raised my child to have fun, yes, but also reliable.

“Have you heard from her?”

“No, not today,” but this isn’t uncommon.

“I tried calling her cell, but there was no answer.

“Did you lea—"

“I’ve left several messages Mrs. Richardson.”

I am not sure how I felt about him completing my sentence.

“And she hasn’t returned any of your calls?”

“Not at all ma’am. She did mention something about a small black notebook from her grandmother.”

I am only half listening to Daniel now. I am wondering what is in this small black notebook from my mother. She never mentioned it to me. I stare at the eggwhite wall and look at this beautiful cobblestone clock my mother got for us last Christmas. It’s 4:45 PM, I need to start dinner.

“Are you certain no one at the job heard from her today?”

Daniel affirms my question. I am slightly concerned about the no call no show. I tell Daniel that I will call him back. I feel slightly bad for dismissing him, but he’ll be ok.

I immediately reach for the phone to call my mother. I pick up the phone and started dialing the numbers. Sometimes I forget she’s gone. My mother passed away a couple months ago. I hang up the phone. Water began to fill my eyes. I try hard not to let them fall. My face is so tense, tears start coming out of my nose. I give in and a have a good cry.

Once I collect myself, I call Jewel. Her phone goes straight to voicemail. I leave a message.

“Hey JuJu, this is Mommy calling. Just checking up on you. Daniel called asking why you didn’t show up for work today. Is everything okay between the two of you? Ok, call me back. I love you.” I hang-up

The Bible says, “Don’t worry and pray,” or something. I try not to worry. I don’t think that verse is for mothers. We worry about our children. I text Denise and ask if she heard from Jewel today.

The door swings open.

“You won’t believe the day, I had. Tom totally tried to throw me under the bus at work today” Denise blurts out as she’s walking through the door.

Blah-blah-blah-blah-blah is all I hear.

I am never greeted properly. No, “Hey babe! How was your day? No, “Hey babe! Dinner smells great.” I am greeted with what Tom is doing at work. I am not thinking about Tom, our child is potentially missing.

“Hey” I say abruptly. “Did you receive my text about our daughter?”

“Yeah, I saw your text. I didn’t bother to read it because I was about to walk through the door”

“Have you heard from Jewel today?”

“No, is everything ok.”

“I’m not sure. Daniel called saying that Jewel was a no call no show today at work.”

“How does he know she didn’t call?”

“Denise, I don’t know. All I know Daniel called me concerned.”

“I think we should wait a few hours before we make a fuss of it.”

“Ok, babe”

Denise comes over and gives me a big hug and kisses me on my forehead. She looks in my eyes, and for a second I think she is going to ask about me. For once I think she is going to see I am greving. So much for wishful thinking. She immediately goes back to talking about Tom.

Eight hours have passed. No word from Jewel.

Jewel

“Body-ody-ody-ody-ody-ody…Body crazy, curvy, wavy, big titties, lil' waist (Yeah, yeah, yeah)” Megan the Stallion can make a song, Ok!

I know my parents are trying to reach me, but I am not answering. First off, I am jamming to this song in my ride. Second, they need to “work” some things out between them. Mommy (Stephanie) have not been mentally together since my Mom Mom passed away and Mom (Denise) is completely oblivious, she never knew her mom.

I am driving down I-75 heading to my Mom Mom’s house after completing a DoorDash shift. She left me some instructions about this small black notebook and told me not to tell my mothers about it. I hate keeping secretes from them, but Mom Mom said not tell them. I’m listening to Mom Mom.

I wanted to do something different for my 21st birthday. My parents have sacrificed and endured so much for me. I do not speak much about Mom Denise attack, but she was severely injured by an angry dad at one of my basketball games two years ago. They have had to overcome the stares, smart remarks, alienation, and physical attacks for being a lesbian couple with a child. It is ridiculous they still must endure this in 2021.

I want to plan a trip for my parents, but I am about $20,000 short. Sometimes I do DoorDash before BMC hours. I typically get done before my shift at BMC Labcorp starts. Areas were surging out of this world today. I was just doing delivery, after delivery, after delivery. I look up and its 12pm. I just kept working and said I would explain to BMC tomorrow why I missed work today. I know $25,000 is a lot for a trip, but my parents are worth it.

I pull up to my Mom Mom’s house. Ranch style house with yellow paneling. I can smell the fresh cut grass. I’m immediately transported to childhood. Mom Mom is sitting outside in her lawn chair, watch me run back and forth in the sprinkler in the lawn. Her grin is as big as the sun. She had her small black notebook and is writing and smiling.

I asked her what she is writing about.

“It’s grown folks business baby.”

“One day when I am grown, I’m going to read what’s in that book.”

“You sure will, but not until you are 21 and not a day sooner.”

“Well Mom Mom, I’m going to be 21 in two months and I’m going to read---”

Water began to fill my eyes. I try hard not to let them them fall. Tears always win. I miss my Mom Mom.

Before she passed, Mom Mom wrote me a note and told me not to open it until after she made her transition. It took me a while to read it. I didn’t want to believe she was gone. I opened it a few days ago and told Daniel about it. She was a woman of a few words:

Dear JuJu,

Baby I am so proud of you. In a couple of months, you will be “grown grown” the big 2-1. I told you that you would not be able to read my small black notebook until you were 21. Well, if you are reading this letter, I didn’t make it to see your 21st birthday. Now, don’t you cry. You know energy is neither created nor destroyed. I just transformed state. However, my black book is in my bedroom in my nightstand. Double tap the corners and it will fall into your hands.

Happy Birthday.

Tell mom I love her and stop giving Denise a hard time.

Love,

Mom Mom

I follow her instructions to the letter and in my hand is the small black notebook. I have waited all this time. Two more months will not hurt.

Denise

I love my wife, but she can hold a grudge longer than anyone I know. Its JuJu’s birthday and she is still upset about her not answering us two months ago. She is also still upset JuJu refuse to tell her about this small black notebook.

“Hurry up! She’s about to walk in the door,” Stephie emphatically motions.

I get into position.

“1-2-3"

"Surprise!!!! Happy Birthday,” everyone yells.

“Awww. Thanks everyone,” JuJu says surprisedly.

She works the room. We pour her a glass of champaign.

Stephie is crying crocodile tears. “My baby this…My baby that!”

JuJu asks for everyone’s attention.

“For 21 years I have been blessed with the two best moms a girl can have, and while this day has been put together to celebrate me. I have decided to honor my parents.”

Stephie and I are surprised.

“Mommy I know you have been mad at me for not telling you what was in the black book, but I couldn’t tell you and Mom because it would have ruined the surprise.”

“Mom Mom left me $20,000 to travel abroad next year. But I used the money to give you and Mom they honeymoon you never got to take. You know I do not like keeping secrets from you two but I had to this one time.”

5 days 4 nights at the St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resorts!!!

“What?!?! Yooooooooo”

Things have been so tense between my wife and I. We totally need this trip.

I grab my wife, hug her, look her in her eyes and I say, “I know I haven’t been present emotionally. I just didn’t know how. Know that I love you, and all that you do for JuJu and I.”