SEASON 1 PART 3

At the funeral Deja sat with the family while trying to hold back her tears. She remembers the time that stayed with her aunt all summer one year. Meanwhile in Los Angeles, Quincy was giving council to Malachi about his transition to middle school. “Son” he said, “you are getting ready to embark on a new journey. You’ll have some good times and some bad times. I’m hoping that you will use these next three years to excel socially as well as academically. You’re a smart young man so I have no doubt that you can handle this” Malachi, sat at the kitchen table looking at a photo album that he noticed in his mother’s room.

“Dad?”

“yes son?”

“Who are these people right here with mom?”

“Those are some of her cousins” 

“So Mom’s family is from Louisiana and you are from Mississippi”

“Yes, your grandmother migrated to the LA area for a better life. She grew up during the worst of Jim Crow, she left once she got married”

Malachi continued to question “I’m still not sure why she never went back to visit. Her family would come see her and us once every few years…..but not the other way”

“I’m sure she has her reasons, your mother bought you and Aundrea down to Louisiana when you were three, QJ was a newborn at the time, look, there’s the picture! Wow, I haven’t seen this picture this picture in ages.”

He continued: “Your grandmother grew up in a region that was not particularly kind to people like us at the time. I can relate being from Mississippi, I joined the military, eventually I was stationed here in LA and knew I wanted to settle here.”

At the funeral when it came time for Helen to speak, she could not hold back. She talked about them growing up and  how they both had dreams about what their lives would turn out like.
“After I left, we communicated mainly by letters and  phone, when I began to use email, I was able to exchange pictures with her of family milestones and vacations. The last time I saw her was 10 years ago, she came out to see me unexpectedly. She loved the area, though she could not understand why shopping was so expensive. She loved a bargain. We went to Long Beach on a Wednesday and I remember bringing her to Hollywood. She had considered moving here and she would always ask me on her visits here when I would come home to see her. I regret it every day. This is a regret that I will carry to my grave, the fact that I never conquered my fear.”
So many got up to speak including her son Jameson, who is now living in Baton Rouge with a family of his own. He spoke about the relationship he had w/ his mother, he stated that she was often very protective of his as a single mother and him being her only child. He never knew his father. He stated that she considered him a huge blessing considering her circumstances, she had many medical problems and because of it, he was seldom able to go anywhere as a child. He was at home quite a bit. While he resented this growing up, he will always miss his mom and he does understand that she had good intentions, after all, he went to LSU on a full academic scholarship as well as an athletic scholarship. He majored in business and obtained an MBA. She was his biggest fan. “I know she’d be proud to see us all today, Yvonne, Clarissa, Deja, Azalea, Anita, I see you guys right there, y’all were like a second family to me and I would light up when Mom told me that you were coming for the summer, “I was probably closest w/ Yvonne being around the same age. I remember my mother nurturing that relationship in particular, I actually think she was one of the few people that I was trusted with……………” He paused for split second and ended his speech with “Mom, I’ll miss you, I wish I had gone home a bit more once I got to college, RIH mama”.

After the service, Yvonne and Jameson exchanged contact information, including their social media information and headed to the burial.
Once the burial ended and Deja could get a moment to herself, she contacted her husband using face time

“How was the service?”

“The service was very emotional”

“How’s your mom holding up?”

“She’s alright, she needs some time to grieve though. Are the kids at home?”

“Yes, Malachi is right here. Andrea is across the street” 

“Hi mom”

“Hey son, you ready for school next week?”

“Yeah, I guess….how’s Louisiana?”

“It’s hot! Far hotter than Los Angeles! I can’t wait to get out of these hot ass clothes””

“Mom, when are we going to go down there.”

“I’m hoping soon, I would like for you guys to come. You need to  be well hydrated. Get your dad back on the phone”

“Hey dad she wants to talk to you”

“See you later son”

“Ok ma’”

“My flight leaves tomorrow, I should be back Monday. I’m going to go change, I’ll call you back this evening”

“Okay, I’ll see you later, I’m going bring him to a pool party”

To be continued with episode 4.