The Love of a Parent...

There's nothing like the love of a parent to protect and nurture their child. Yet, somehow as we grow up we tend to think that we're no longer under that same protection. Parents tend to think otherwise. It's another #writerwednesday!

  My daughter and I had made it through her first visit with her father unscathed. I had spent the day with my parents sharing my thoughts and feelings with them on this newfound relationship. They had worked hard to let me know that I was doing the right thing, or at least my mother did. However, my mom and dad felt that the feelings of insecurity and envy I was experiencing were normal. But they also assured me of what I already knew. I had nothing to worry about. I had raised my daughter to be a wise, independent, and intelligent young lady. She knew where her strength lie and our relationship was solid and stable, nothing could shake that.

“Look, baby, I think you’re doing the right thing letting her get to know her father,” my mother stated, as she spooned a serving of cabbage onto my plate next to her famous Sunny Golden Fried Chicken.
“Hmph, father my a—” my father began.

“Gene! Don’t you dare say that. Now you just hush up and eat your dinner,” my mother warned him. She often sat quietly by and upheld his word. But she didn’t play that about cursing in her home. She said she wouldn’t allow the Lord’s presence to be disrespected in her home, and He surely was in my parents’ home.

“I’m just saying. I don’t know why he wants to pop up after all this time. He wasn’t nothing but a sperm donor. He ain’t never contributed to that child’s growth. Now when she ‘bout grown and ready to head off to college, he all of a sudden want to pop up and get the daddy of the year award! Well, I’m tellin’ you, it ain’t happenin’ not on my watch, Cathy!” he argued back.

“He didn’t just pop up. They ran into each other. I’m sure if he had known about her he would’ve tried to contact Naomi after he’d grown up and matured,” my mother defended.

I turned my nose up to what she was saying because I knew that it was a bunch of hogwash and so did she. Her purpose for saying all of that was because she didn’t want my father to turn my mind against allowing Sasha and Jaime to build a relationship. But she didn’t have to worry about that, I was determined to give it an honest shot.

I looked at my phone for probably the tenth time in the last hour. She still hadn’t called.

“You ain’t got nothing to worry ‘bout, Naomi. We all raised that girl right. She ain’t gone just let him step in her life and take your place. She probably ain’t had a chance to call you yet,” my father stated reading my mind. “I’m sure he’s probably right over her shoulder at every moment,” he complained.

“Richard Eugene Blankenship, give that man half a chance!” my mother set her serving bowl on the table with a clatter meant to convey the severity of her stance to my father.

But Pops wasn’t having it. “Catherine Aileen Blankenship, he’s had more than 16 years to get a chance.
He didn’t take it. All I know is he better not do nothing to hurt neither one of my babies again. Or he’s gon’ have me to deal with. And that’s all I gots to say on the matter.”  My father punctuated his statement by taking a sip of iced tea from his glass and glaring at my mother over it.

She shook her head and looked down into her lap. And with that one simple movement, I saw my father’s hard core softening. He reached out to his right where she sat and grabbed her hand in his and softly rubbed it.

“Okay, I’ll give him a chance. But one wrong move, and just like white on rice, I’m gon’ be in his a—”
“Eugene!”

“Just saying…that’s all.” He picked up a forkful of cabbage and shoved it into his mouth, going silent for the remainder of the meal.

I admired the two of them. I’m sure they had their share of challenges along the way, but they truly loved one another and had each other’s back.

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Undeniably Chelle...
Living Life Beautifully Inspired!