At Last (29 page)

             
“Yeah, so do you.”  I countered.

             
I grabbed my phone and instantly called Missy.

             
“Hey. How’s the Big Apple?” She said when she answered the phone.

             
“It’s cool, but later for that. Why you didn’t tell me Cliff was going to propose?” I asked laughing.

             
“Girl you need to quit.  He asked me not to say anything and I told him that I wouldn’t.  So when’s the wedding?”

             
I knew she was smiling on the other end of the phone.

             
“How you know I said yes?” I asked.

             
“You are so wack!” She responded.

             
We both laughed.

             
“So what do you think?”

             
“I think Cliff is a good guy and you deserve each other. I’m so happy for y’all.”

             
“Thank you, Missy.”

             
“You know it. 
Hurry back home so we can get to planning!”

             
“I will. We’ll be home the day after tomorrow.”

             
“Alright, cool.  I’ll see you then.  Tell my future brother I said congratulations.  Love ya.”

             
“Love you too.”

             
Once I got off the phone with Missy, I called Yvette. It turned out Momma was over there too, so I could share the news with both of them.

             
They both kept on talking about how the wedding was going
be
fabulous and how they were going to spare no expense on it.  That really wasn’t what Cliff and I had in mind.

             
“Look y’all, just relax.  It’s going to be simple.  We’ll probably get married in Cliff’s backyard.”

             
“Cliff’s backyard!?”
  They both asked in unison.

             
“Aw, hell naw!”
  Yvette yelled.

             
“Okay Ms. Morgan, I know you think you all engaged now, but my daughter is not getting married in
no
backyard!!!”

             
Squawking as usual.
I knew they meant well, but as usual they were plucking my nerves. Cliff sat next to me on the bed. Every once and awhile, I’d take my ear off the phone. He couldn’t stop laughing.

             
“Okay y’all, let me talk to Taylor. We gotta get going soon.”

             
“Alright, hang on.” Yvette said, “Here baby, your Mommy’s on the phone.”

             
“Hi, Mommy.
I miss you.” She said sweetly into the phone.

             
“Mommy misses you too, baby. So does Mr. Cliffy.”

             
“When are you guys coming back?”

             
We’ll be home in two days, baby.  It’ll be before you know it.”

             
“Good.
Mommy?”

             
“Yes, baby?”

             
“Is Mr. Cliffy going to be my new daddy?”

             
I went speechless. An image of Justin popped in my head. I could see him as clear as the first day we met.

             
“Mommy?”
Taylor called making sure I was still there.

             
“Yes, baby,” I responded. So many things were going through my head, “Nobody can take your daddy’s place. Your daddy loved you very much and I loved him very much too. Mr. Cliffy loves you too though, and I want all of us to be a family. “Cliff held my hand while I tried my best to give her an explanation.

             
“You understand, Taylor?”

             
“I understand. Can I talk to Mr. Cliffy?”

             
“Sure baby. Hold on.”  I said with a smile before handing Cliff the phone.

             
“How you doing, Suga?”
Cliff said.

             
He spoke to Taylor for a few minutes. I just watched him and smiled. He was such a special man.

             
“I’m happy I make Mommy happy too. We’ll see you soon. I love you.” Cliff said smiling before handing me back the phone.

             
“Okay, baby. Mommy loves you and we’ll see you when we get home.”

             
“Love you too, Mommy.” She said before hanging up.

             
“She’s a big girl, Miss Morgan.” He kissed me softly on the lips.

             
“That’s soon to be Mrs. Andrews.” I said smiling.

             
We jumped in the shower, got dressed, and I ate the breakfast that Cliff had brought for me.  Once I finished eating, we started to clean up the bedroom.

             
“Make sure we leave everything the way we found it.  I don’t wanna hear shit from my pops.”  Cliff said as he fluffed the pillows.

             
“I figured this was your father’s house.”

             
“I thought I told you. Where you think we
was
at?” He asked grinning.

             
“I thought y’all weren’t cool?”

             
“Eh…just make sure everything’s straight.”

             
”Okay.”

             
I looked around and made sure I’d taken all of my belongings. Afterwards, I sat on the bed and stared down at my Emerald cut diamond ring. It was so beautiful; I couldn’t keep my eyes off it.

             
“So what’s next?” I said never taking my eyes off the ring.

             
Cliff came by and sat down next to me and smiled at me.

             
“We go to my mom’s house.”

             
“Oh...”

             
“What’s wrong? I know you ain’t worried ‘bout that thing with Ingrid.”

             
“Naw babe.
It’s cool.”

             
In the back of my mind, I was apprehensive about going back over Ms. Andrews’ house after everything that had gone down.

             
He walked back over to the other side of the bed and read my thoughts.

             
“What I tell you? Keisha, don’t worry ‘bout that. It’s over. I already talked to Moms and Chanel about it.”

             
We gathered our belongings and headed for the front door.  Before Cliff could open the door, it opened
from the other side. Standing before me was a middle aged man with lightly salt and peppered hair.  He was tall, but not as tall as Cliff. He was probably six feet. His skin was milk chocolate and smooth. His eyes were slanted and he had my fiancé’s nose. When he smiled he had a slight gap between his perfect white teeth.

             
He was wearing a butter soft brown leather coat.  A tan buttoned up shirt, a pair of brown slacks and on his feet were a pair of brown Stacey Adams.

             
“C.J!
What’s up, boy,” He shouted as he embraced Cliff.  I moved over,
             
“When did you get in town?”

             
“A few days ago.
I’ve been staying at Mom’s.  I called you.”

             
“Really?
  I didn’t get the message. I was at Kalahari. I couldn’t get a signal,” He said. Cliff kinda rolled his eyes. The man then looked at me with a wicked smile, “And who is this?”

             
“Keisha, she’s my fiancée.”

             
He looked at Cliff in surprise, “Whoa!
Really!?”

             
“Yeah.”
  Cliff said with a small smile. His father was grinning from ear to ear. He shook Cliff’s hand.

             
“Congratulations son! I’m so proud of you,” He said before turning to face me and extending his hand. I shook it, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, sweetheart. She’s beautiful, C.J.”

             
“Thank you.” Cliff and I said in unison.

             
Cliff’s father turned around and brought his luggage in.

             
“Have a seat, guys.” He invited.

             
Cliff’s body language was completely off. He began to drag toward the couch and plopped down uneasily. I sat next to him as his father scrambled around the house. Finally he sat in his Easy chair.

             
“Seeing as my son didn’t introduce me, I’m Clifford Andrews
Senior
.”

             
“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Andrews.” I smiled.

             
“Mr. Andrews? I’m Dad now!” He said laughing.

             
“It really is a pleasure to meet you.”

             
“Trust me, the pleasure’s all mine.” He said still smiling, trying to kill me with it.

             
“I like her, C.J.” He said before turning to Cliff.

             
“I’m glad.” Cliff said coldly before kissing me on my forehead.

             
“When are you all headed back to Detroit?” He asked leaning back in the chair.

             
“Probably the day after tomorrow.”
  Cliff responded.

             
I just sat back and watched as the Cliffords interacted with one another.  It was quite interesting.  Cliff didn’t talk about his dad much.  In fact he barely talked about him at all.

             
All I really knew was his dad lived in Harlem. Wilma had divorced him when Cliff was 15 and that Cliff, was his father’s namesake.

             
But now as I watched them
interact
things became very clear. Cliff’s body language told it all, he wasn’t comfortable around his father. He wasn’t completely removed, but he kept his distance.

             
It was almost as if he had up this invisible wall between them.  And Clifford Sr. was trying his hardest to break through.  He seemed as if he had no clue why the younger Clifford’s guard was up.

             
“You gotta let me take y’all out to dinner before you guys head back.
My treat.”
  Mr. Andrews said.

             
I looked at Cliff and I could see the wheels turning in his head, “Alright Pops, what about tonight?”

             
The room fell silent. Cliff had obviously said that to call his father’s bluff. I could tell by his tone. Eventually Clifford Sr. smiled. It was like looking at an older Cliff.

             
“Let’s do it.” He said enthusiastically.

             
“Alright.
We gotta head back to Brooklyn to holla at Moms. Nine cool?” Clifford asked.

             
I glanced down at my watch which read three o’clock.

“That’s good for me.  I’ll call your mother to see if she and your sisters want to go too.” Clifford Sr. said.

I could tell that took Cliff off guard, “Alright, it’s a plan then.”

We hugged him, grabbed our things, and left. Cliff and I hopped in the truck and made our way to Brooklyn.

On the way there, Cliff was noticeably silent. I could tell he was thinking, and I knew it had something to do with his father. I left it alone for the time being. Clifford Sr. didn’t seem like a bad person, but maybe I didn’t know the whole story.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Driving back to Brooklyn, random thoughts ran in and out of Cliff’s head.  His father never ceased to amaze him.  They hadn’t spoken in over three years, but he acted otherwise.

Clifford Sr. put on an act like they had some great father and son relationship; like all was forgotten.  They hadn’t even seen each other since his Uncle Frederick’s funeral.

             
His funeral was the event that caused an already rocky relationship to completely unravel. All of his
family had come up to Detroit for the funeral. Shortly after the funeral, the entire family went to Frederick’s attorney, Mr. Stevens’ office for the reading of the will.

             
Cliff could remember it like it was yesterday. They were seated in Mr. Stevens’ downtown Detroit office.  His mother, Chanel, Carmen, and his father waited patiently.