Believers
The holiday season was quickly approaching, all students got off two weeks for winter break. Clan Eileen was already packed and ready to head home to celebrate Christmas with their families. The day after they would have to return here and put their plan into action.
Rodney smiled as he stood outside the brick red house, Christmas lights were strung over everything. He could smell his mom’s chili being cooked on the stove, and the sweet cornbread in the oven.
The seasons were almost completely gone, most of the year it was an even 85 degrees all day and night. Though during December for some reason, it did still get cooler than the rest of the year. It was mild 50 degrees, but it still put you in the holiday mood.
Rodney walked into the living room and glanced at his brother and sister in the play-pin playing quietly with their toys. Rodney’s mother had remarried two years ago to a man she met at church named Henry Moore. He ran a store that sold plumbing fixtures and equipment.
Rodney liked Henry from the day he met him. Henry was smart, well educated, and most of all treated his mother like Queen.
He didn’t shower her with expensive gifts, or romantic gestures like most men do to get attention. Every time Henry came over he cooked diner, cleaned up afterwards, and then would massage his mother’s feet while they watched a movie as a family. Any time she needed him he would drop everything and be there for her. The night he proposed he asked Rodney for his mother’s hand first. After gaining approval he bent down on one knee, squishing a noodle of mac and cheese from dinner into the carpet. He’d accidentally dropped it earlier when scooping his portion. He was not the most graceful man in the world. The stain never did come out of his pants, like it did the carpet. Those very pants are now Henry’s lucky pants, he will never travel without them.
Rodney’s mother, Taja, was visibly in love with Henry. Her disposition had also improved since he had come into her life. Rodney was glad she was no longer the angry, demanding woman he used to come home to.
Taja smiled sweetly at Rodney as he entered the kitchen. “There’s my college boy. How’s the school work?”
“It’s fine mom, you know that. I ace everything. Can I have a taste of that?” Rodney pointed to chili.
Henry walked into the kitchen carrying Cantrell, Rodney’s four month old brother. “You feed Cantrell and I’ll feed Samika. Then your mom can feed us, deal?”
Rodney held out his arms and took his little brother. He cradled him lightly and fed him the bottle. As he looked into his baby brothers eyes, he felt light years away from what he must do after Christmas break.