Baggage Overload

All Rights Reserved © 2004 by Michelle Renée

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher.

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ISBN: 978-1-4697-7875-4 (ebook)

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Thank you Jason for the five words!

Thank you Mommy, Daddy, Brandon,

Tammy, Vicky, Dorian,Wendy, and everyone who had my back.

You inspire me to be the higher me!—Lauryn Hill

Contents

THE SIMPSONS (1972–1977)

THE WILKINS (1972–1977)

FINDING (1978–1987)

LOSING (1988–1989)

THE LIFE AFTER DEATH (1989–1990)

STICKY SITUATIONS (1990–1994)

HAPPY HOUR (1994–1998)

COMFORT ZONE (1998–1999)

FALLING SOME (1999)

FALLING HARD (1999–2000)

SALTY WOUNDS (2001–2002)

HEALING (2002–2004)

AND THEY LIVED…

THE SIMPSONS (1972–1977)

1972

Branson couldn’t believe this day was here. His child would be born at any moment. It seemed like yesterday he was a young man just beginning his life.

Branson Simpson met Isabel Issy Hughes in his senior year of college. She was the daughter of his economics professor. They started dating after he graduated and Issy was pregnant soon after. Branson wasn’t ready for the responsibility, but his father had taught him to do the right thing. His life plan seemed to disappear right before his eyes.

In his sophomore year of college, he started saving the money he earned from working at his father’s towing company so that when he graduated he could open up his own restaurant. He would get his career going and then he would find his wife and have children. One night of lust changed all of that. He knew he wasn’t in love with Issy, but he married her in her second month of pregnancy.

Issy’s brother Isaiah, affectionately called Zeke by her, informed the couple of a house for sale on Anacostia Street in the River Terrace neighborhood of Northeast. Isaiah and his wife Betty Ann lived on Baker Street in the same mid-dle-class neighborhood. He told them it was a great place to raise kids and that his son Xavier was doing very well in school. He explained, as only a member of the Hughes family could, that they had no ghetto problems. Branson used his savings on the closing of the two-bedroom house and they moved in right away. The house faced the river and had a playground and picnic area right across the street.

Branson continued to work at his father’s company and earned a decent salary. No need to live on dreams of what could have been, his father told him. You’re a man now. At 22, you now have a wife and a kid on the way. You got mouths to feed. You’ve gotta put that restaurant on hold.

Today he was standing in the delivery room of the hospital.

Issy squeezed Branson’s fingers together and screamed. Would you tell them to get this baby out of me?!?

Branson was sick of Issy yelling at him. His father had warned him that women were real emotional at delivery time. Issy had been yelling at Branson throughout the pregnancy so he knew that wasn’t it. Maybe hers just started earlier, he thought.

Doc, is there anything else you can give her for the pain? begged Branson.

Mr. Simpson, in just a couple of pushes your baby will be here.

Branson’s face lit up like the ball dropping on Times Square at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Day.

At 8:59 A.M., Brandee Diane Simpson was born. Brandee weighed in at 7 pounds 11 ounces. She had a caramel complexion that was a combination of Issy’s fair skin and Branson’s dark chocolate skin. Her head was filled with thick, black curls. She looked like a doll baby.

Branson insisted that his first child be named after him, and he came up with the name Brandee. Issy finally gave in and let him get his way, but she made sure she picked the middle name.

Branson sat in the chair next to Issy holding his brand-new baby daughter. He could not believe the little person in his arms, who had his nose and ears, was really his responsibility. Branson stayed at the hospital the four days that Issy was in recovery. He spent most of that time in the nursery holding Brandee. The nurse would let him sit in the rocking chair and he would sing to her:

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine

You make me happy when skies are gray…"

Branson was ecstatic when it was time for them to take Brandee home. He had finished painting the second bedroom last weekend, and on the few trips back home to change his clothes and check the mail, he hung up the rest of the pictures Issy bought of little angels lying on clouds. Branson smiled because he knew God had let him borrow one of His angels.

He rolled Issy out of the hospital in a wheelchair with Brandee in her arms. The July heat was sweltering so he hurried to get them in the air conditioned car. He strapped Brandee in the car seat in the back and helped Issy get into the passenger seat. They drove off with Branson sneaking peeks in the rearview mirror at Brandee.

You okay? he looked over at Issy.

I’m fine. Just hurry up and get me home to my bed. That hospital bed was awful and so was the food. I need a real meal.

Okay. I’ll have Betty Ann come over and fix you something.

I don’t need Betty Ann to come over and do shit! I had a baby, I didn’t lose my arms. She rolled her eyes and looked out at the Anacostia River as they drove over the bridge.

Branson was used to those kinds of remarks from Issy. He hoped she would be better now that the pregnancy was over. He looked out at the river too and wished the situation was different. He thought about what it would be like if this was ten years later. He would have a well-established restaurant, a wife that he adored, and Brandee would look just like her. He came back to reality and turned off at the exit to get to their house. He parked in front of the house and ran to the other side to open the door for Issy.

I’m fine, Issy remarked. Just get my daughter out of this heat.

Branson grabbed Brandee out of the car seat and followed Issy into the house. He ran over to the couch to sit her down because she was starting to wake up, and he liked to talk to her since it was rare that she was awake.

Issy headed for the kitchen to start cooking. She was thankful that the kitchen looked just like it did when she left. She checked to make sure she had all the correct foods in the refrigerator and the cabinets so she could eat right to get back to her size six figure. There was no way she was going to keep all that weight on her. I have a reputation to uphold and being fat is not part of it, she thought. She found some peaches and cottage cheese, and after she finished she headed upstairs to take a nap.

Branson sat with Brandee the rest of the day. He was glad that his father let him take as much time off as he wanted. He decided to take the first two weeks off. He had to get right back to work as soon as possible though because he was the sole breadwinner. To stop her bitching, Branson hesitantly agreed that it was best that Issy stayed home after the baby was born.

When the time came, Branson didn’t realize how happy he was to get back to work. Of course he was going to miss Brandee during the day, but the newness of the baby was slowly disappearing for Issy. She felt she was doing most of the work and was starting to get irritated with Branson.

Brandee’s crying woke up Issy the morning Branson was due back to work. Would you please go downstairs and heat up a bottle for once in your life? Do I have to do everything?

I guess paying the mortgage and the utilities was considered nothing. I guess those days I sat with Brandee and let her sleep don’t count either, Branson thought. He got out of bed without saying what was on his mind and went to Brandee’s room. When he picked her up she instantly stopped crying. He kissed her on the cheek and took her downstairs to get her bottle ready. While he waited for the bottle to warm, he sat in his easy chair and sang Brandee her song:

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine

You make me happy when skies are gray…"

Brandee was looking at him grinning. He bent down and kissed her again and told her that he loved her. She may have been only two weeks old, but something told Branson that she understood.

He looked over at the clock and realized it was time for him to get dressed for work. He grabbed her bottle and tested the temperature, luckily it was just right. He headed back upstairs and put Brandee in the bed with Issy and handed her the bottle.

Did you have to milk a cow? Issy asked sarcastically. What the hell took you so long?

Again, he ignored her and headed to the bathroom. Branson hurried to get to work because there he was away from Issy’s mouth. His father and other coworkers welcomed him back. He went to lunch with his dad and all they could talk about was Brandee.

A few hours after lunch, Branson’s father announced he was off to the doctor. Gotta get the results of my blood work. Can you hold the fort down? he asked Branson.

Of course I can. I learned from the very best, didn’t I?

You know it. I’ll probably go home afterwards. Make sure you lock up and I’ll do the paperwork tomorrow morning.

Take care, Dad. Call me if you need anything.

Branson made one more run downtown before he locked up and went home that evening. When he got home, Issy had dinner ready. He went upstairs and took a shower and hurried back down the stairs to pick up Brandee. He only had a couple of minutes to play with her before Issy finished setting the table. Branson talked to Brandee about his day and was convinced that she listened better than Issy. Issy was never interested in how his day went. She was on the phone all day with her women’s group and could care less about how many cars they towed that day. Brandee would laugh and giggle at him when he talked to her and that made everything else worth while.

After dinner, Issy took Brandee upstairs for her bath, and Branson turned on the TV to watch the game. He was a baseball fan and hoped to one day have a son who would play some kind of professional sport. Maybe one day he would get a son, but for right now, he felt blessed with his little princess.

The phone rang and he picked it up on the first ring because he knew Issy was busy with Brandee.

Hi, Son. Did you have any problems closing this evening?

Now I know you didn’t call me for that, old man. No problems. How did things go at the doctor’s? Everything check out okay?

There was a silence that wasn’t sitting well with Branson. The only time his father was quiet was when something was wrong. When he had to tell Branson that his mother passed away, he was quiet a long time before he spoke. Now the same uneasiness was present.

The doctor told me I have liver cancer.

Now, it was Branson’s turn to be quiet.

Don’t worry about me, Branson. I’ll fight this thing and be alright. They say they caught it early and they want to do an operation on me to see if they can get rid of it. I’ll be fine.

Branson didn’t know how to feel. He remembered the pain he experienced when he lost his mother to diabetes. He definitely didn’t want to lose his father, especially since he needed him and his advice in his life.

When is the surgery scheduled?

I told them I would get back to them. I need to get my business affairs in order first. We are working on that big contract for the government, and I don’t want to miss out on it because of some damn surgery. Plus, I want to spend some more time with my granddaughter.

Dad, I can handle everything for the business. I think you should go ahead with the surgery as soon as you can. The earlier the better.

There was a brief silence again before Branson’s father spoke.

I’ll have to think about it. In the meantime, I’ll see you tomorrow morning. Kiss my grandbaby for me.

Branson hung up the phone and remembered how his father changed after his mother died. It was as if his father had been walking around in a daze. She had been gone for eight years and his father still talked about it as if it happened yesterday. Branson believed that deep down inside, his father would rather die than live without her.

They had been married for 27 years. His mother took care of Branson and his sister, as well as everything else in the household. The only thing his father did was work and bring home the paycheck. His mother took care of everybody. She even helped his father get dressed. She picked out his clothes, washed them, cooked his meals, paid the bills, and ran the house. His father was lost without her to this day.

Branson hoped his father would take his advice and go have the surgery as soon as possible, but he also knew he would probably see him in the office tomorrow.

1973

One Saturday in early November, Branson planned a date for him and Issy to celebrate their first anniversary. It seemed like an eternity to him, but it had only been twelve months since he said I do in front of their friends and family.

I’ve gotta go get my hair done, Issy yelled from the shower. Drop Brandee at my brother’s early.

Branson thought that was unfair. He assumed Issy wanted to spend as much time with Brandee as she could since she just got back from a 3-day trip to New York. Her women’s group went on a shopping trip and stayed to meet with another group for a conference. Branson took the days off of work so that they wouldn’t have to worry about trying to find a babysitter to stay with her during the day.

Branson wasn’t taking her down the street to Isaiah’s house until it was time for them to go out. He cancelled everything he had planned for that afternoon and stayed home with his little princess. He couldn’t believe that she was almost a one-year-old. He didn’t want the time to go that fast. Pretty soon,he thought, she’ll be going to school. He sat back on the couch and tried to imagine what life would be like then.

This restaurant is so small, Issy commented with disgust. Why do they charge all this money for a hole in the wall? Issy was loud enough for everyone within 20 feet of them to hear. They all looked at her, including the maitre d’.

You don’t have to be that loud, Isabel. This is a nice size restaurant. Besides, the food is excellent.

She looked at him and rolled her eyes. She wanted to say something to him, but decided to save it for later. This was their anniversary and it was supposed to be a happy time.

When the waiter came to get their food order, Branson took it upon himself to do all the ordering. The lady will have a glass of Merlot and I’ll have a Hennessy. For an appetizer, can you bring us a shrimp cocktail? You can come back for the entrées, I haven’t quite decided. Thank you.

Issy gave him an evil look. She wanted to yell, and would have if they weren’t in a public place. How dare he treat me like I can’t talk?

Branson looked at her and knew she wanted to yell at him. He thought she would be impressed that he knew her well enough to order her favorites. His father had taught him that it was a manly thing to do. Apparently, Prissy Issy didn’t go for it.

When the waiter came back with their drinks and appetizer he was ready to take the rest of their order. To keep peace, Branson decided to let her have control. You can start with the lady.

Issy ordered her food and then Branson. When the waiter left, Issy tried to make things better. Thank you, she smiled and took his hand. Thank you for everything. Thank you for my home and my daughter.

Branson was speechless. Even though she said it condescendingly, he was shocked that the words even came out of her mouth. Sure.

I’ve decided to devote more time to the club to continue work on our project for the elderly people. Now, before you start asking questions, I just wanted you to know that it will not interfere with my personal responsibilities to this family. Your dinner will still be ready for you when you get home from work every evening. Brandee will still be taken care of. No worries.

Are you sure?

Don’t ask me that. I told you they would. Stop trying to make me feel bad about doing something I love to do. I don’t do it to you, so don’t sit here and do it to me.

Isabel, I’m not trying to make you feel bad about your club at all. I think it’s great that you ladies volunteer to help out others. I’m just worried that our daughter will become one of those children who only see their parents once in awhile. What is going to happen with Brandee during the day?

I’ll be doing most of my work from home. A lot of it is just being on the phone and scheduling. I don’t anticipate being away from the house that much, but if I do, I’ll make arrangements.

What kind of arrangements? Branson’s voice went up an octave. He didn’t like the way Issy was answering his questions.

Branson, I don’t know yet. Why are you going off like this? I told you that you didn’t have to worry, so let’s keep it that way.

Branson gulped down his drink in one sip. He was glad he saw the waiter coming back to the table because he needed another one. He didn’t want to continue the conversation because he knew how his wife could be in public places. He didn’t want to cause a scene. They ate dinner in silence. So much for a happy anniversary, they both thought to themselves.

Branson dressed Brandee for her birthday party. Today his little princess will have been on earth for a year. He couldn’t believe how time was flying. He remembered bringing her home from the hospital.

He tried to do her hair, but thought he should quit while he was ahead. He definitely didn’t want to hear Issy’s mouth. He stopped and left it for Issy to do when she finished in the kitchen.

Issy was in the kitchen with Betty Ann cooking the food. She came upstairs to finish getting dressed and to do Brandee’s hair.

Go downstairs and help Zeke get the ice in the cooler.

Sure, Branson said biting his tongue. She didn’t say please or thank you, he thought to himself. No controversy from him on his daughter’s birthday.

There were a couple of people there already. Most of them were the women from Issy’s club and their kids. He didn’t know all of them, and really didn’t care to, so he jogged out to the backyard to help Isaiah with the cooler.

Who the hell are all those women in there? Isaiah asked.

I was just getting ready to ask you the same thing. I think they are the women from Issy’s club. A bunch of stuck-up women is what they are to me.

I hear you, brother-in-law. I’ll just keep my distance.

Me, too. They put the rest of the sodas in the cooler, and then Branson stood out on the porch with Isaiah while Isaiah smoked his cigarette. He was in no rush to get back in the house.

After everyone arrived, which included some more of the women and their kids and Branson’s father, Issy served lunch. Branson sat with Brandee and fed her. She was so excited to see so many children that she didn’t eat much.

After lunch the women let the kids play while they gossiped about every other woman who wasn’t there. Then it was time for cake and ice cream.

Blow out the candle, princess. Branson was standing in front of her with the camera.

Brandee