Tomorrow May Be Today

As Pastor Landrum stood in the podium preaching over a casket. Giving his condolence to the family members of Mrs. Jackson. Due to it being a pandemic, only a few people were allowed to attend the funeral and so the only people who attended was her son and three grandchildren. "Sister Jackson lived a wonderful long life of one-hundred-and-four years of age. Leaving behind her only Son (Jansmeel Jackson) and three beautiful grandchildren. Mrs. Jackson outlived her three brothers, two sisters and husband. I recall the first day I met Mrs. Jackson. With me being new to the church and replacing the former pastor, she gave me a hard time. Letting me know that this church wasn't about that drama stuff so I better not be bringing it into this one and I better do right because not only will I have to deal with God but I will have to deal with her too (chuckles)," Pastor Landrum continued. "One thing I know, from that day on, I looked at Mrs. Jackson like she was MY mother. So, I can tell you I fully feel the pain that you may be going through and I do understand it. Loosing someone is hard I know, But just think what Mrs. Jackson would most likely tell us all at this very moment, 'Baby, God Got me now! I lived my life, continue to live yours! '" The family chuckled and shook their heads up and down in agreement, because that sounded exactly like their love member. The pastor continued with scriptures, then Mother Landrum stood up to sing "Just As I Am" by Mahalia Jackson. Pastor Landrum prayed, then informed the family that they may view the body as long as they please, but to please stop by his office as he has information that he needs to tell everyone.

This is where I come in. Hi, my name is Shayna but my family call me Nae-Nae. I am one of the three grandchildren of my grandmother Mrs. Jasmine Jackson. I am the oldest daughter from her son Jansmeel Jackson. Our side of the family is not that close, as my dad had three different daughters with three different women and guess what! We are all the same age of forty-two, all born in the year of 1978 but different months. Long story short, we all grew up in different states and just recently found out about one another. I am the one that most of my dad's family knew about because I stayed here in Fairhope, AL where he grew up with my mom Shay. My mom and my grandma had grown a very close relationship. My dad hated it with a passion. Right after my dad found out my mom was pregnant, he ran off to where we guessed was Georgia, because that is where my sister Teresa is from. He also met my baby sister Blenda's mom in Georgia, but she so happened to move to Texas with Blenda when she was one.

So in the pastor's office, there is the pastor, the first lady, my dad, my two sisters, and me. Pastor Landrum asks us to all sit at a round table that was in the center of the office. As we all sat looking at him confused, he reached to the left of him, opened a drawer, and pulled out a small black book. He opened the book and stated, "What I have before me is the will of Sister Jackson yet she asks that the contents are not to be reviled unless everyone name in the book was present. Everyone is here besides someone name Shay, Tammy and Brenda. Does anyone know who they are and how we may fund them?" Now we were all puzzled, because those were all the names of our mothers'. I looked at my dad and he looks upset and confused at the same time. He is a very light-skinned man, so just imagine the red flushing through his skin. "Pastor, those names are the names of our mothers, where two are out of state, can we FaceTime the two out state and I will have my mother come. The only reason she did not come in the first place was to respect my dad's wishes." I spoke up because everyone was still sitting there with confused looks on their faces.

While my sisters' minds finally came back to earth, they FaceTimed their moms and I called mine and told her to come to the church as grandma wanted her to be there for the will reading. All this time passing while waiting on my mom, my dad is trying to convince the Pastor to read the will without them because that was his mother and his kids moms has nothing to do with her. My dad has always thought about his self-most of his life, but I also knew this was hurting him and he was ready to be alone to grieve the lost of his mother.

Once Tammy and Brenda were on FaceTime and my mom finally made it to the table, the pastor started to read from the Little Black Book:

"If the Pastor is reading this, that mean I have left this beautiful, yet filthy earth to be with the Lord. I have served my purpose on this earth and I pray that I did it well. To my one and only son Jansmeel Jackson. First I would like you know your father and I tried our best to raise you the best we could. We tried to show you the so-called Happy family. You always rebelled and we never knew why. We always asked and told you that we were there for you no matter what. Even when you were "blessed" with that $50,000. We asked you where it came from but you would never tell us. So, we let you be. Then you left me and your dad $20,000 and ran! Was that hush money son? Your Dad died of a heart attack. He wanted so bad to see his son just one more time. But the best you could do is show up asking if I still had the $20,000. I want to thank you though. You left them out to stray. You broke our hearts. We did not teach you that, Son. Then from family in Georgia, I hear you have two other of my grand babies and their mother's left out there to fiend for themselves? It broke my heart, so I reached out to them and have done the best that I could. Something you failed to do. Teresa and Blenda, although your dad was not there, and I could not have been fully in your lives, I was there! If you go to my house, you can see the programs of all the performances I attended especially your graduations. Although the $20,000 is not much, I leave $10,000 each to Brenda and Tammy for back child support that my son Jansmeel should have paid during the raising of my grand-daughters. Blenda and Teresa I leave you two the four acres of land that is behind the house. Last but not least I leave my house and the two acres that it sits on to my God-Given daughter Shay and my grand baby Nae-Nae. I know everyone may be in some type of shock, especially you Jansmeel. But as I see it, you have enjoyed your life. As you took your $30,000 and did whatever you wanted to do. You had kids but act like you were still one yourself. Then you come to me at your dad's funeral to see if I still have the $20,000. Well now you know son. What I leave you is another lesson. Don't expect to get back what you stole!

--Love Mom"

Closing the little black book, "Well, that is it. I'm sorry for your lost and thank you for your time. If anyone needs..."Pastor gets interrupted by my dad. "So, you are telling me, that is all she wrote?! She didn't leave me nothing?! Let me see that book!" Snatching it out of the preacher's hand. Reviewing it for himself as tears rolled down his eyes because he knew his mom's handwriting. Then a newspaper article of a robbery feel out the small book. It was an old article of someone stealing $50,000 from the bank.