Black Love Short Stories

Yes and Amen

Hi y'all :). Can you believe we made it to the last month of 2021! God is certainly good.

I'm super excited for you to read this story. I hope you enjoy!

Maysa is pronounced "May-SUH"
       
***

         "Jireh, you are enough." Malaysia sang and smiled and as she looked through the rear view mirror and saw her three year old daughter, Maysa, singing with her. They were headed to a concert to see Maverick City Music, of her Malaysia's favorite Christian artists.
The phone rang, letting Malaysia know that a call was coming through. Clicking the hands free answering service, she answered the phone.
"Hello." She answered.
"Hey baby." Nathan's deep voice boomed through the speaker. Malaysia smiled at looked at her phone.
"How close are y'all?" Nathan asked.
"Mommy said we're 30 minutes from Grandma Mel's." Maysa said.
"Maysa Kendall," Malaysia said and she looked at her daughter through the rearview mirror. She watched as her daughter give her a shy grin.
"Thank you, baby girl." Nathan said. "Baby- let me know when you make it- ok?"
"Alright baby. I will." Malaysia said as she made a right turn. "I love you."
"I love you too Daddy!" Maysa yelled from the backseat and Nathan laughed into the phone.
"I love my girls too." He said before hanging up the phone.
The music resumed and the ride continued. Before Malaysia knew it, she had arrived infront of her parents home. The single story home was wide as it sat on two acres of land. This was the second home her parents had bought, and she knew that this one was the one they'd keep for forever.
When she stepped out of the car, the crunchiness of the fallen November leaves made her smile. Maysa happily unbuckled her seat and by the time Malaysia came around to open her door, Maysa had already hopped out. She held her favorite cabbage patch doll to her chest as she bounced up and down.
"GRANDMA AND GRANDPA I'M BACK HOME!" Maysa yelled and Malaysia couldn't help but giggle. Although her name meant 'graceful', Maysa was anything but that when it came to her announcing things. But Malaysia expected nothing less from her hyper three-year old. The screen door opened and out popped Malaysia's mom who happily bounced down the steps to greet her granddaughter.
    "Hi Grandma's baby boo." Malaysia's mom said. Malaysia observed the graying of her mother's hair and it made her look at her mom with love.
"Hi grandma." Maysa said. Her arms wrapped around her grandmother's leg and she pressed her head against it. "I missed you. Layla missed you too." She said as she held her doll out for her Grandma to acknowledge.
"That's sweet. Grandma missed both of you." She said as she kissed the doll and kissed her granddaughter's forehead.
"Maysa come get your suitcase." Malaysia called out.
Maysa left her grandmothers side to grab her bag.
"Hey mama." Malaysia said as she came close to her mother.
Her mother smiled at her and Malaysia watched as the wrinkles in her chocolate skin seeped around her eyes as she smiled. 
"Hello my oldest baby." She said as she embraced her daughter in a hug.
She looked at her daughter silently and could tell that she had a lot on her mind. Instead of it's normal glow, Malaysia's chocolate skin seemed to lack luster.
        Her mother didn't say anything though as she helped her take her bags into the house. After getting her and Maysa's things settled, Malaysia went to the kitchen area to find her dad over the kitchen sink. Peering in, she looked to see that he was seasoning some random skinned animal.
"Dad, you gotta stop that. What animal is this?" Malaysia laughed.
"It's deer. Maysa and I are gonna have some." He winked at her.
       "Daddy if you feed my baby that I'll never leave her over here again."
        "Maysa already agreed." Her dad said. "In fact, my helper is getting dressed for the occasion."
        As if someone called her name, Maysa appeared. Malaysia watched her tiny three year old legs climb on the stool so that she was almost as tall as her mother.
        "Papa you ready?" Maysa smiled at her grandfather.
        "I am babygirl. Take this and pour some sone on it." He instructed and Maysa did as told.
        Malaysia knew that there was no use in trying to control her baby girl around her grandparents. While she knew Maysa looked like her physically, she had her grandparents spirit. Maysa loved them dearly and allowed her grandparents to spoiled her like no other.
        Following the sound of the television, Malaysia walked to her parents room and soon realized knew that her mother was watching reruns of Good Times. She smiled as her mother laughed at the antics of the characters. Noticing her daughter enter the room, she patted the seat beside her. Malaysia sat down, inhaling her mother's soft and familiar lavender scent.
   "So, what's on your mind babygirl?" her mother said as she moved a stray piece of hair from Malaysia's face.
   Malaysia sighed and felt the tears well in her eyes. She sniffled and wiped a few away before responding to her mom.
    "Mama, Nathan and I have been trying to conceive for a while. And we just haven't been able too." Malaysia told her mom.
    "How long have you two been trying?"
    "For six months, Mama." Malaysia admitted. It was true- she and Nathan had been trying to have another child for the past six months. But no matter what they did or how hard they tried, no baby entered her womb.
    "Aw baby," Her mother consoled her as she cried. Her mom rubbed her back lovingly and when Malaysia had calmed down enough to talk, she began to speak to her.
    "Now, you know that I don't understand your issue. I had you, and your siblings with no problems. But baby, you know that God is ordering your steps."
"Mama I know that. But, I just don't understand this right now. Nathan and I pray and read our Bibles. We're faithful. I'm just starting to loose some of that faith."
"Now you know that faith is the assurance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. You can't loose your faith." Her mother said. "Let me ask you something- do you believe that God is promising you and Nathan another child?" Her mother asked.
   Malaysia nodded. "Yes, mama. I really do."
"Keep believing. If you trust Him, He is sure to work in your favor. Remember, God's promises are yes and amen." Her mother assured her.
Malaysia nodded as fresh tears fell. It wasn't like she didn't trust God, but she just couldn't understand why it seemed that He wasn't listening to her pleas. She allowed her mother to hold her as she lay on her lap and slowly drifted into sleep.