Miss Bessie

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Disclaimer: photos are used for artistic purposes only. They represent what the author believe the physical character looks like. This story in no way reflects the person in photo life. Any parallels are purely coincidental. If you are the own of the photo used and would like it removed, please email the other at lafreddieb@yahoo.com with the link and your photo will be removed.

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Miss Bessie

Today is my favorite day of the week – Sunday. This is the day that I set aside for. God is my back bone and I spend time with Him morning, noon, and night. But Sunday is my family day.

​I am the matriarch of the Underwood Family. My family is no different than any other family. However, Sunday is the day that I ask my family to set aside their issues with each other and the rest of the world to kick back and enjoy life. At 86 years old, God may not have many more days on this earth for me. So I want to enjoy the days I do have with those that I love. We have dinner at my house and laugh and cry telling old stories and sharing with my great-children what God has blessed us to go through.

​My daughter, Bertha, and I just got home from Sunday Service at the family church, Bread of Life Ministries where my husband, the Honorable Reverend Elijah Earl Underwood served as Founder and Senior Pastor for thirty-five years before he passed on to glory.

​"Bert," I called out to my eldest daughter who was in the dining room setting up the buffet.

"Do you know how many people are coming today?"

​"I'm not sure, MA," she replied joining me in the kitchen as I put the finishing touches on the meal. "I think it will be safe to say that the usual will be in attendance."

​"Get EJ on the phone and tell him I said get over here today."

​"Ma, you know EJ is always causing trouble when he come around."

​"That maybe so, but I want my baby here and that's all that matters. Now do what I asked and tell him to make sure he bring Lil' Eli with him."

​"Okay," she replied with a sense of defeat.

​"I don't know when it got so that I have to repeat myself. Where ya'll get the notion that I'm a tape recorder is beside me. But ya'll need to get that out your heads. If I say do something, I mean do it. It shouldn't be no questions asked."

​"Ma, I'm sorry," Bert replied interrupting my rant. "I'll get him over here one way or another even if that means that I have to drive over there and pick him and Eli up myself."

​"Was that so hard? And while you at it, call Ruth, Huey, and Bartholomew and tell them I want their kids here with them" I yelled back in response. Before Bert could answer me I got that familiar feeling inside. "Is that my baby," I yelled out sensing the entry of one of my children.

​"Yes ma'am," my youngest daughter, Michelle, stated as she joined us in the kitchen.

​"Give Momma some love," I replied reaching out for my baby. "I missed you sweetie! Where you been hiding?"

​"Ma, do you really have to ask that," she asked as she took a seat at the table.

​"Yes I do," I stated matter-of-factly. "You are my baby and I want to make sure you're not involved in that foolishness on the Westside."

​"Ma, I doing fine. And that mess in the streets don't have anything to do with why I haven't been to Sunday dinner lately. However, I'm sure that you know that," she said as her voice began to trail off filled with anger.

​"Michelle, don't start nothing today!"

​"I'm not starting anything. I'm just saying..."

​"Lord, Jesus, help me with this family of mines," I said sending up a quick prayer as I placed the yams back on the stove.

​The butterflies in my stomach let me know that the family was slowly arriving. I always get so excited when they come around. I love all of them so much more then they will ever know. My favorite grandson, Devon, call himself sneaking up on me confirmed what I was feeling.

​"Devon," I called out without turning around, "Quit looking like a deer caught in headlights and get over here and give me some suga."

​"Why you tell her it was me," he asked Michelle, popping her on the back of the head as he approached me.

​"Boy, don't touch me," she yelled.

​"Baby, you know I don't need nobody to tell me who is in my house," I stated as I swatted at him. "Now, get over here! How you doing, son?"

​"I will be doing so much better once I graduate in May."

​"Well, you know that MA will have a spread laid out for you."

​"And I know you will."

​"Now get out of my kitchen so I can finish this meal."

​"Okay, Ma," he replied walking away with a sly grin on his face.

​SNAP

​"Boy, I'm gonna kick yo butt," Michelle yelled as Devon took off running after snapping her with my dish towel.

​I just chuckled to myself as I watched it all go down. I love seeing the two of them interact. There is about twenty-two year age difference between them. But they banter back and forth like they were raised together.

​"Girl, hush all that noise," I chastised her. "You did something to that boy the other day and almost brought him to tears. So, there, ya'll even now."

​"Ma, you baby that boy too much."

​"Girl, what are you talking about?"

​"You and his parents bend over backwards to get him whatever he wants. Ya'll need to stop that. He almost twenty-five and don't know what its like to work hard for the things he wants.

​"Well, isn't that the pot calling the kettle black," I responded to her insinuation. "Your father and I as well as your grandparents and all seven of your brothers and sisters gave you absolutely everything that you wanted. Heck, you didn't get your first job until you were his age."

​"Well, I do tend to get my way," she replied gloatingly.

​"Listen to you," I replied getting more irritated by the minute. "Girl, check on my pies then get out of my kitchen."

​"Aww, Momma, don't get mad at me," she cooed in my ear.

​"Child, do what I said then go help Bert with the buffet."

​"Okay, Ma, but you know I'm right!"

​"Michelle Denise, get off my nerve before it's more than that towel that Devon snapped at you that you be running from." She wanted to say something, I knew it. I could see it in her eyes so I put her to the test. While she grabbed the towel to pull the pies out of the over, I walked right up on her with my hands on my hips and looked her dead in the eye. After forty-five years of seeing that look on my face, she knew I meant business and got out of my way with the quickness.

"Finally, a moment of peace," I exhaled as I returned to the kitchen table to finish mixing the potato salad.

The kitchen was my personal sanctuary. It was also the gathering place for my family. I just needed a few moments to myself before everybody else began to pour into my space. With eight children, forty-seven grandchild, thirteen great-grandchildren, and not knowing how many of them were to show up each week, I knew that moment of peace was going to be just that; a moment of peace.

Pulling the tuna casserole from the oven, my mind drifted back to this morning's worship service.

"Not going back I'm moving ahead
I'm here to declare to you my past is over in You
All things are made new surrendered my life to Christ
I'm moving, moving forward"

That boy know he sang that song this morning. I haven't seen the worship team move the congregation like that in a long time. My soul is still so moved by the service that I'm bout ready to break out into worship all over again.

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