Miss Lola.

Chapter 33.

"Hello, this is Mrs. Ethel Simmons speaking."

"Hello, mama. This Lola."

"Well, well, well. Been a long time since I heard from you, little bird." Mama said.

"I know and I'm gone have to fix that, call y'all more. So, err..how y'all doing?"

"Fair to middling." Mama said, "What about you?"

"Oh, I'm good. Everybody good.
Umm..I was calling to let you know that I'm bringing a friend with me to church tomorrow."

"A friend?" Mama asked. "What friend?"

Cringing inwardly, I said,  "Hollis Williams."

Mama was quiet a moment as she processed what I'd just said.

"Now is this a friend or a friend?" She asked carefully.

"He's a friend and he's asked me to marry him and I said yes, so we're engaged."

"Say what? Ruben? Ruben!"

"Yeah, what is it Ethel?" I heard my dad's voice in the background.

"Lola has gotten engaged!" Mama screeched.

"Say what?" 

"She say she engaged to a man named Hollis Williams." Mama said in her normal tone.

A moment later my dad's grouchy voice is speaking to me on the phone.

"You've done what now?" He asked.

"I'm engaged, Daddy."

"To whom?"

"His name is Hollis Williams and I'm bringing him to church to meet y'all tomorrow."

"Well, dern Lola. Since when have you been dating? Last time we checked you had just broken up with the other fella." My father said.

"This is a whole new scenario." I said. "Hollis is the real deal."

So, Sunday morning, Hollis and I stepped through the doors of Greater Bethel and slowly made our way down the aisle where my parents always sat on the third row from the front.

My parents, Ruben and Ethel Simmons, are retired school teachers and Dad is tall, dark and rugged and Mom is a petite, light skinned woman.
They've always reminded me of Ozzie Davis and Ruby Dee.

Mom is wearing a yellow dress, white hat and matching purse and heels and Dad looks dapper in a pin striped suit.

After service, she allows me to kiss her perfumed cheek while Dad eyeballs Hollis.

"Dad, Mom, this is Hollis Williams." I say nervously.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Simmons." Hollis said respectfully.

Dad gave him a long, measuring look.

"Did you enjoy church this morning?" He asked.

"Yes sir." Hollis was sweating a little and it wasn't even that hot today. I guess he was nervous.

"Well, y'all are welcomed to join us for dinner." Mama said.

"Actually we had other plans." I said at the same time when Hollis said, "We'd love too."

My parents excused themselves to retrieve their car in the church parking lot and I shot Hollis a side eye which he pretended to ignore.

"Now, why'd you do that?" I asked.

"Do what?" He was trying to play all innocent when he knew exactly what I meant.

"You know what. Agreeing to have dinner at my parent's house."