Chapter 92: Jean Broody vs. Bradley Jackson ~ When desires explode… Tears of joy & relief!

***

“Mama…” Bradley gasped as he rushed forward to catch his mother before she hit the ground.

“Bring her here.” Jean placed the purse and money he’d picked off the floor onto the center table and pushed the throw pillows off the couch to make way for Yolanda.

Bradley gently placed his mother on her back and then crouched down beside her, staring down at her with so much concern and sympathy.

“Jean…” Bradley groaned as he watched Jean check Yolanda’s pulse.

“She’s fine,” Jean said as he raised Yolanda’s feet onto the armrest. “Just shocked that’s all. Can you please get her a glass of juice or something?”

“Sure.” Bradley stood up and went to the kitchen. For a moment he just stood on the threshold and stared. Everything was just as he remembered it.

Bradley took a glass, went to the fridge, and poured some orange juice. Then he went back to the living room where his mother had started to stir. He gave the juice to Jean and crouched beside Yolanda again. And when she eventually opened her eyes, Bradley smiled down at her with so much relief.

“Mama…” He breathed.

“Oh my god, Jeffery.” Yolanda swung her feet off the couch and sat up. Then she reached out to wrap her arms around Bradley’s shoulder and hugged him. “Oh, my baby.” She moaned, rocking Bradley as she would a baby. “Thank you, Father. Oh baby, I’m so sorry.” She began to sob. “Forgive me, Jeffery.” Yolanda wept as she rocked an equally sobbing Bradley. “I’m sorry for failing you as a mother, baby. Please find it in your heart to forgive me.” Mother and son cried as if they’d been told that someone close to them had died. “Please, please, please. I know I don’t deserve it but please.” She cried her heart out. “I’m not worthy to be called your mother, I know. I’m so, so sorry, Jeffery.” It was a heartbreaking scene.

Jean quietly left the room as mother and son bawled their eyes out. As much as he knew that letting go that way was good for Bradley, Jean couldn’t stand seeing Bradley like that. He went to sit on the porch to give them the needed privacy.

Back in the living area, Bradley eventually quieted down and sat at the feet of his mother. He wrapped his arms around her waist and simply rested his head in her lap. Yolanda’s head was against the headrest but her hands cradled Bradley’s head. They sat that way for about thirty minutes in utter silence. But for the occasional breathing spasms from Yolanda, the room remained quiet. Until Bradley broke the silence.

“Mama?” He called out softly.

“Yes, Jeffery,” Yolanda responded in a small voice.

“I’m sorry too.” He said.

“No, no honey.” Yolanda shook her head. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

“But I shocked you that day so…”

“Children surprise their parents all the time, Jeffery.” Yolanda gently caressed Bradley’s cheek. “It’s the duty of the parent to direct the child on what to do and what not to do. We never gave you any direction. We failed you as parents. No matter how shocked we were, we shouldn’t have allowed things to get out of hand. And we definitely shouldn’t have done that to you.”

“It wasn’t you. It was Dad…”

“I’m just as guilty,” Yolanda said heatedly. “In fact, I was the worst culprit. No mother should sit back and watch their child get kicked out.”

“You were afraid,” Bradley whispered.

“Stop making excuses for me, son. When it comes to a child, even fear must not stop a mother from protecting them. I failed you. And I will live with that shame, regret, and self-hatred for the rest of my miserable life. But it will give me some relief if you could forgive me, son. That’s all I ask. I know it’s diff…”

“I forgive you, Mama.” Bradley raised his head and looked at his mother with silent tears coursing down his cheeks. “I forgive you.”

“Thank you, son.” Yolanda began to cry again. “Thank you.”

Bradley moved off the floor to sit beside his mother and wrapped his arms around the weeping woman. He felt at peace.

***

Outside, a delivery van came to park beside the Mercedes Benz. A young boy of about twenty-two got out and went to the back of the van to pick up two shopping bags.

“Hi.” He said when he got to where Jean sat on the porch. “Yours?” He gestured towards the Mercedes.”

“Err…yep.”

“Cool wheels.” He grinned. “Mrs. J in there?”

“Yeah. You must be Kenneth.” Jean smiled at the boy.

“The one and only.”

“I’ll take that,” Jean said, pulling his wallet out of his pocket. “How much does she owe you?”

“Err… is she okay?” Kenneth asked warily. “I need to see that she’s…”

“Come.” Jean stood up and went to stand by one of the windows. When Kenneth went to stand beside him, Jean pointed at Yolanda and Bradley. “Can you see her?”

“Yeah. Who’s the dude?” Kenneth looked curious. In all the time he’d been doing the old lady’s grocery shopping for her, he’d never seen anyone come to the house besides himself.

“That’s her son.”

“Jeffery? She said he went away.” Kenneth’s eyes were wide as he stared at Yolanda and Bradley.

“Well, he came back.” Jean chuckled. “So why don’t you give them some privacy?”

“Sure, sure.” Kenneth nodded. “The bill is fifty-five bucks.” Kenneth placed the bags on one of the chairs on the porch.

“So you do this for her every week?” Jean asked.

“Nope. Every month.”

If Jean was shocked at the small amount spent on groceries for an entire month, he didn’t react at all. He gave Kenneth four hundred dollar bills.

“Keep the change,” Jean told the boy.

“Oh dayum, are you serious?” Kenneth looked shocked.

“Yep. Just for being smart enough to make sure she was okay when I told you to leave the groceries with me.” Jean smiled.

“Oh, Mrs. J is a real nice lady,” Kenneth said. “I like her. Thanks, dude. Tell her I’ll come by tomorrow to check up on her.”

“I’ll do that.” Jean waved as the van left the driveway.

***

“So…how have you been?” Yolanda asked after Bradley had insisted she drank the juice. “I know I don’t have any right to ask but…”

“You have every right to know how I’ve been doing, Mama.” Bradley took Yolanda’s hands into his. “I’ve been okay. I’m in the Navy.”

“Oh god, I’m proud of you son.”

“Thanks, Ma.” Bradley grinned. “I’m a lieutenant. And I’m part of the most amazing team.” Bradley told his mother briefly about his work. “Okay, enough about me. Tell me about you. Are you okay?”

“I haven’t been okay since you left. My story is pretty depressing so why don’t we stick to yours? Where’s your friend?” She looked around.

“I’m sure he’s outside,” Bradley said.

“Call him to come in.” Yolanda stood up.

“I’ll go get him,” Bradley said as he went to open the door. “Jean?”

Jean turned at the sound of Bradley’s voice. “Are you okay?” He asked, standing and moving towards Bradley.

“I’m good.” Bradley hugged Jean fiercely. “Thank you.”

“Kenneth brought the grocery shopping.” Jean gestured towards the shopping bags.

Bradley picked them up and gestured with his head. “Come on in.”

Jean followed Bradley into the house and closed the door behind him. When he turned around, Yolanda was right there, staring at him with a curious look on her face.

“Are you my son’s boyfriend?” She asked.

“Yes, Ma’am.” Jean recovered quickly enough to respond. “I’m Jean.”

“You’re very handsome.” Yolanda grinned as she opened her arms to Jean. And when Jean leaned down and hugged Bradley’s mother, Bradley quickly went into the kitchen to hide the tears that were threatening to fall again. “Treat him well for me, please,” Yolanda said quietly.

“I will, I promise,” Jean responded.

“Thank you.” Yolanda sniveled as she stepped out of Jean’s embrace. “He’s been through enough. He deserves some happiness in his life.”

“I’m happy when he is,” Jean said with so much emotion. “His happiness is, therefore, my number one priority.”

“God bless you son.”

“God bless you too.” Jean smiled. “I see where your son gets his looks. You’re beautiful, Ma’am.”

“Oh, not anymore.” She gave a sad smile. “I used to be but it faded away.” She ignored Jean’s protesting frown and went on. “Sometimes when your sins are so terrible it tarnishes your heart, your outer shell also suffers.

“Don’t say that.” Jean drew Yolanda back into his arms. “Everyone makes mistakes. The most important thing is being able to acknowledge the mistake, regretting it, and making it right.” He kissed Yolanda, who had started crying again, on both cheeks. “You’ve cried enough. It’s okay.” He whispered.