Tasha opened her eyes slowly on Saturday morning in her childhood bedroom. She felt relaxed and rejuvenated, having slept very early last night. As usual, Tyson had abandoned her immediately when they arrived at Sandville. He had gone home with his cousins, Tasha’s brother’s kids. Checking the time, it was 4:16 in the morning. She parted the window blind. The outside was still dark. A bittersweet smile spread across Tasha’s lips as she leaned back on her pillows.
“Who would have thought that I would still be single…without a man by this time of my life?” Tasha thought, feeling overwhelmed by loneliness like never. She tried to block the thought away as always and returned to sleep.
She didn’t wake until one hour later. By the time she looked outside, the weather was already changing. She slid out of the bed and went to use the bathroom, after which left the room for the kitchen. As expected, her mother was there with a steaming cup of coffee in front of her. But she was just starting into the thin air. Her cup of coffee and her Bible in front of her on the kitchen table. Tasha stood at the doorway to study her for a few moments.
“Good morning mom,” she walked further into the kitchen. “Mom, is everything alright?”
Mrs. Harrison turned slowly with a little smile, “baby girl, I am alright. I am just thinking.”
“About what?” She pulled out a chair and sat beside her mother.
“About you,” Mrs. Harrison said, reaching out to touch her girl’s arm. “I could see how bittersweet all of this new achievement looks for you.”
“How did you know Mom?” She looked perceptively into her mother’s eyes. “I mean,” she shrugged. “Everyone assumes I am happy.”
“A mother knows, my dear,” she squeezed her arm. “Even your father saw it, too. We discussed about you last night before we slept. You know what, just keep hanging there. A man that will make you happy as long as both of you live will surely come.”
“Hmmm,” Tasha took a deep breath.
“You know love is sometimes hard to find,” she looked into Tasha’s eyes. “Especially if God has something bigger and brighter than your dreams for you at the end of the tunnel.”
Tasha sighed, her eyes reflecting the deep sorrow she was experiencing despite her career achievement. “I want to share my joy, my pains with a man too.” She traced the flower pattern on the tablecloth with her finger. “Is that too much to dream of?”
“It’s not dear,” she pushed away a strand of her from her eyes. “You are going to have it soon.”
“Mom, I just don’t understand why things didn’t work out with Grant. We had so much in common, and I thought we were meant to be together.”
Mrs. Harrison reached across the table and took Tasha’s hand, her eyes filled with empathy. “Darling, sometimes life has a way of showing us what we truly need, even if it doesn’t seem that way at first. Just because things didn’t work out with Grant doesn’t mean you’re meant to be alone.”
“Mom,” she held her mother’s hands and sighed slowly. “I am just overwhelmed. Being alone is getting to me. I am so lonely.” She told her mother, tears welling up in her eyes until they flowed freely down her cheeks. “I am so tired, mom.”
“Shh…shh.” Her mother, a mix of sadness and understanding in her eyes, rose from her chair and enveloped Tasha in a warm embrace. “It’s okay, I promise you, everything is going to be alright.”
Tasha wrapped her arms around her mother and cried more.
“Please, stop crying,” she stroked her hair. “It breaks my heart seeing you like this.”
She pulled away and looked into her mother’s eyes. “Do you think I should go back to Grant?”
“No, princess,” her father’s voice boomed from behind them. None of them noticed when he walked into the kitchen. “You can’t go back to a liar and a cheat.”
He walked up to them and wrapped his large arms around both of them. He didn’t say a word again. No words were needed as Tasha felt the unwavering love and comfort of her parents’ arms around her, offering solace and reassurance. Both of them, including her son were her pillars of strength, any day, any time.
********
Later that morning, at ten am in New York city, Blake grinned at his son and asked, “are you ready, Punky?”
“Yes daddy, I am,” he took the hand his father offered as they boarded Pier Pleasure, the new yacht Gerald just got for the family.
“Daddy!” Jayce squealed. “This is big!”
“Yes, I know.” Blake’s eyes twinkled with joy. “Your grandpa just bought it for all of us. Wait until you see the inside.”
Pier Pleasure just got delivered to the shores. Apart from Blake, his father, and Perry, no other family members had seen the inside.
Their mom and Jolie were already planning a party that would include all family members and their friends as well, to launch the new luxury acquisition. Blake, knowing how much his son loved the ocean, had planned a day for him too to glimpse the luxury before others.
Jayce’s eyes widened at the sleek design of the interior and state-of-the-art amenities.
“It’s like a house on the water,” Have said excitedly.
“Yes,” Blake gave him a thumbs up. “You ge’ it, man.”
“Are we going to sleep here?” The little boy asked. “Or we’ll go to a hotel after we have fun?”
“We are sleeping here overnight,” Blake grinned and asked him to come along. “Let me show you around, but first let’s say hi to the crew members.” They greeted the crew members and returned to the deck.
“Where we are standing is the main deck,” Blake explained, his voice filled with pride. “We’ll spend most of our time here, enjoying the views and the fresh air.”
Jayce ran his hand along the polished railing, his fingers tracing the intricate carvings. “Wow, Dad,” he breathed, “I like it!”
“I knew you would.” He curved an arm around his shoulder. “Let’s see the bedrooms.” Blake chuckled.
They walked down a narrow path and he pushed open a door. “This is our suite, Punky,” Blake said. “There are three rooms here.”
Jayce gasped as he looked around. He loved everything he had seen so far.
Blake robbed his belly and winked at Jayce. “Let’s get some breakfast before we go fishing.”
“Okay Dad.”
“This way,” Blake said, steering him towards the dining room.