I got you.

“Where are we going Michael?”

“Just keep walking, I got you.”

“It doesn’t feel like it.”

“Listen, do you want to see this or not because I can’t have your negativity messing up the vibe.”

“No, no, no. I want to see.”

“Okay, we are almost there.”

With his hand on my lower back he helped guild me into a metal chair. The early October weather was unseasonably cold causing a shiver to run down my spine.

“Okay, you can take off the blind fold now.”

It takes a few seconds for my eyes to adjust to the candle light in the barn. I smell dinner before I can see it, inhaling deeply I take in the aroma of my grandma’s gumbo and it makes me smile.

“Mikey, you made gumbo?”

“Oh, I’m Mikey now.” Hes says with a sly grin.

“Don’t do that. Don’t be sarcastic. This is amazing. Thank you.”

***

Seeing her smile makes me smile as I lean in the brush her lips with a soft kiss. She has no clue how amazing she is,but I am going to spend my life reminding her of that fact. First I have to tell her the one thing I have held back. The one thing that can end all of this.

“Hey, where did you go there?” she places her hand on my mine.

“No where babe, I’m here with you.”

“That was amazing. How did you get my Mommie’s recipe?” I smile at the term of endearment she uses for her grandma. “My aunt won’t give that to anyone. Did you charm her? Did you promise her our first born or something?”

***

We are both laughing when he says, “No. I tried but she wasn’t having it. My next surprise should explain all of that though.”

Rising from the table, he comes to knell next to me. “Babe.” I say with tears welling up in my eyes,”

“No, no. It’s not that, it will be that but tonight it’s not that.” He says wiping the tear that spilled over.

“Okay. Then what is it?” looking into his eyes has me worried, there’s something there that’s a little unsettling. “Baby, whatever it is you can tell me. I got you.”

After taking a deep breath he begins,”This barn is not just any barn. It has been here for generations. It’s where we learn to control it. Where we learn to channel it.”

“Channel what?”

“The magic.”

I can’t make eye contact with him anymore. Magic? What magic? Generations? He has to see the questions churning in my head because turns my face to his before continuing. “I can show you better than I can explain it. Today is October third…” he says while gathering some of the dirt from the barn floor into his hand. “… she wanted to see you so badly. She wanted to tell you a few things before she left, she just didn’t have time.” Rising from the floor, he walked over and stood in front of the other chair at the table.

I can’t stop my voice from trembling, “Who are you talking about?”

“Your grandma, your Mommie babe.” With that he let the dirt pass throw his fingers as he chatted something in a language I have never heard before but felt familiar. Coming back to to me with dust still on his fingers, placing his hands on either side of my face he whispered, “Close your eyes.” His lips press to each of my eye lids before he runs his fingers across my forehead.

Her voice caresses my ears like her hands did my head when I was sick. “There you are my Brown Suga.”

“Mommie?”

“Yes child, it’s me. Open ya eyes.”

There she is in all her deep brown skinned glory with a single long braid over one shoulder. My body knew what I needed before my mind could talk me out of it. Standing I make to short walk over to her a knell down laying my head on her lap. The vibrations from her belly laugh tickled my ear as she stroked my hair. The velvet of her voice caressed my ears again.

“Now Brown Suga, I don’t have much time here wit cha. I just wanted to tell ya a few things.” Lifting my head with her gentle hands until we locked eyes, she continued, “ I need you to look at me, I need to make sho you hear me clear. You are our generational curse breaka. Yo mind is powerful beyond yo wildest dreams and because of that there will be folks sent to distract you, ta derail you from yo mission. The mission in yo heart. You have to fight this, but know you ain’t alone. We…”, she gestured with her hand around the wide open barn. “… got you.” Looking around the room I see faces of women and men who look like me. Aunts and Uncles and great grand parents I have only seen pictures of. Meeting her eyes again, she nods to me to confirm what I was thinking. “We are here, all you gotta do is call us and now that yo boyfriend here has given you da sight you can see us too.”

With that she stands, stretching to her full six foot height and holds out a hand for me. When I am standing fully she takes my hands and gives them a gentle squeeze. “I gotta go now.” With a kiss on the forehead she was gone and all that remained in my hands was the dirt Mikey had.

Moments later his arms wrap around me and my tears flow freely knowing I am safe in the arms of my love and my ancestors… got me.