IN FOR A SURPRISE

chapter one

It's been a pretty long time since she visit her home town and today for the first time in sixteen years she was finally going back her family insisted on them coming up for the christmas holiday since she move out to new York the entire family had been coming now it's her time to go it was Thursday December twelve twenty nineteen since she left in July two thousand and three she left her fiance waiting at the alter and took the fastest train away from home only weeks later to learn she was pregnant but she couldn't go back she have avoided telling the family that her daughter was really for the man she was to marry and let them continue to think it was a quick relationship she got herself into when she reached new York the truth is she wasn't ready to be committed in marriage but much deeper commitment was involved a daughter
Isabella charlotte Howard turn to smile at her daughter sitting comfortable on the back seat of the chevrolet astro her head buried in her phone and laptop
Leona shantel Benjamin lift her head with a heavy smirk at her mother "are we there yet?" Leona asked
"I'm afraid we're lost" isabella said
"Really mom lost to your home town shame on you, oh I for got you haven't visited in twenty years" leona criticize
Ralf Crawford look at isabella and smile
Isabella made a face and so did leona
is it true Ralf or we really lost?"
"Your mom probably know that" Ralf reply looking at her from the rare view
"Gps guys aren't you living in the new age of modern technology?" She ask going straight to her gps "mom you lie"
Isabella look at her by turning and Ralf through the rare view
"We're right where we need to be"
"Do you even know where you're going?"Ralf asked
"Gps dah I'm living in the modern world now excuse me"
Ralf and isabella smile at each other
They were two hours into harlem they were in winston salem ninety eight miles north west harlem dracula Braselton from the minute her mother said they would visit leona start looking into sites she could visit with in the time she's there from what she gathered they'll be there about two weeks,
we sho get something to eat" isabella said turning to her daughter "can you say how close we're to a restaurant?" She tease
"I think we're at one" leona point a head
They laughed together Ralf pull over and park at an empty spot and they went in to get food,
"I hope I have fun" leona said
"You will your cousins are there"
"None of them or even old enough to show me around" she complained
"I'm sure you'll find someone"
"Ok say cheese" she said snapping a picture of Ralf and her mom,
Ralf and her mom have been dating somewhere close to a year they started seeing each other in January it wasn't all that serious for he never sleep over and it's only a few times she heard him in her bedroom and he always left before she falls a sleep she always stay a wake to listen if he leave and he always did, she did like him for he seems nice her mother did date before but no one she communicate with like Ralf, she wasn't looking for him to come on the trip though but he's here "say road trip" leona said
"Road trip" Ralf and isabella said together isabella putting up two fingers they laughed
Leona grin ease back in her chair, seriously mom I hope to do something fun"
"Well you're going have to find something"
Leona nod,
Isabella wasn't sure what fun she will have now like she and Marsha would back in those days even though they used to have so much fun together the most fun she had was when she got to college and met james, james Leo Benjamin he was the beat to her heart the cream in her pudding her love of her life she was afraid to have anything come between them and the way was for some people marriage never lost and she didn't want it to end bad between them she always thought of a fairytale ending for them he wasn't nice because of his charming looks but because he was kind and caring and they like about everything she the same he love marshmallows and rice and peas sea food and cocktail his favorite color was green here was red but he was passionate about love and do it romantically he was pretty understanding and never loose his temper she was sure he would over the fact she left him at the alter and the fact he father's her daughter, b now isabella was sure james was in a new town off now he is married and with his own family maybe have two or three kids
She drift off to think on him got lost in her thoughts
"Mom, mom where are you?" Leona flash her hand about her mother's face asked
Isabella smile "Memories" she said as they got up to get on the journey once again,
Isabella remain quiet staring out the window as she thought about james she didn't believe she was going to see him having the feeling he must be long out of town living life on the free way he had always talk of exploring when she was the one who wanted to stay in town and make her life there but it's been sixteen years and here she was going back fr the first time,
"Are we almost at the house mom?" Leona ask
But got no answer ralf look at isabella next to him
"Mom" leona call
"Yes honey" isabella said turning
"Are we almost there?" She ask
"Well I don't know honey you're the one with the gps" she smile and stare out the window again already the town of harlem was decorated for the Christmas season she noticed more building business and houses
"This is our turn" she try to whisper on reaching 2nd street
"We're here?" Leona ask taking time out from picture taking,
"We're here" isabella said points ralf to the driveway of the two stories building with multiple apartments
"Nice" leona said "do I get my own room or do I share?"
"Share" isabella said
"I'll take it" she said as she got out close the car door
The family came rushing through the front door with hugs and kisses
"Mama!" Leona said running to her great grandma her mother's grand mother her favorite of all people,
"Finally miss leona you made it to harlem" she said in her older shakey voice June was already eighty three, that make her twenty four years older than her grand mother who is the older of three children and is now fifty nine she was only one year younger than her mother when she gave birth to Leona's mom her grand aunt betty was next then came auntie pat then grand uncle Rowey after he was fifty two and they were two years apart
"Child it's so good to see you welcome home" she hug her to her again and leona giggle she kiss her great grandma on the cheek and took a picture of them both
"Grandma I'm here too" isabella said
June smile open her arms and her grand daughter hug her
"I'm glad you made it"
"So am I" isabella said
Leona took a picture of them while they greet she put her camera to work
"You all haven't met Ralf" isabella said pulling him closer "ralf crawford this is my entire family,
Grand mother june,
My parents winston and maybel
Aunt betty
Auntie Pat
Uncle rowey
My sister's jeana McBride she's married with that name her husband
Keith McBride
Children Anna and Earl
This is Carmen Roach her husband
marlon Roach
Their daughter shelly Roach
This is my family" she said
Ralf nod in greetings
"Well come on in" maybel said leading off
"We prepare food for we thought you would be hungry
"That sounds like something" isabella said
They enter the living room and look around apart from the fresh coat of paint and some pictures leona took of the family since they were down for Christmas and the painting she did of the sunset and the wall clock she gave them for Christmas it was still the same old living room they haven't even decorate for the Christmas season as if they plan not to celebrate this year with decorations although it was the twelve but normally after Thanksgiving they were buying Christmas tree and decorating,
"Anna you and shelly show leona to her bedroom" jeana said as she pull isabella to the kitchen the others following up Earl too went as they show leona to the bed room,
"It's nice" leona said "who's room is it is it?" She asked the girls
Anna shook her head
So did shelly
It was more for girls so she didn't think it to be Earl's
"Ok" leona said smile at the two small girl she pick up her camera and took both their pictures Anna grin and cover her face like herself Anna was pretty and she was told she's like her mom she think her mom to be pretty and she accepted hearing that she looks like her Shelly was pretty too but Anna was a lot better looking, she took a picture of Earl who smile, "let's go back down" she said Earl lead the way,
"Wow is it feels like Christmas already" isabella said looking at the food on the table,
"When the prodigal son had returned to his father's house after so many years what did his father do? He made a feast"Carmen said
Isabelle pout her mouth
They all laugh,
"I like it here already" leona said drawing close to her mom who puts an arm around her and kiss her cheek
"Well it's not completely paradise, else your mom wouldn't left" jeana said
Leona look up at her
"I didn't leave because of the place" isabella said
Carmen held up her hand,
"Let's eat" jeana said said taking her seat,
"What happens to the decorations I don't see any anywhere?" Leona said
"They are still in the attic we'll get them out later now that you are all here" auntie Pat said
"We know how your mom love to decorate so we save it for her to help" betty said
"I'll help too" leona said
"Where is the tree?" Isabella ask
"In the garage I'll get it later" uncle rowey said
"Ralf I do hope you're enjoying your food, and that you'll enjoy your time here" jeana said
"The food is good"Ralf said looking at isabella
"Yes it is very good" isabella said
"Yes I especially love the wilks it's tasty" leona said
June past her the bowl and she held herself and with more fish
"So how is school miss leona?" Auntie Pat asked
"School was great, greater now that I'm holidays"she grin
They laugh
"You are to love school your mom always wish school never break it was why she help out at the community center each year" jeana said
"Does it still operates?" Isabella asked
"Oh yes better than ever" Carmen told her
"They got new people on board and they even expand" jeana said
"That's cool" isabella said
"When can I go down?" Leona asked
"Shelly is to go down tomorrow for practice the center is putting on a Christmas pageant and she's play the piano" Carmen said
"She play?" Leona question her aunt, "you play that's great" she said to Shelly who nod with a smile
"She's not perfect but she's learning" carmen said
"I play" leona said
"Oh you do?" Jeana ask
"Not often though but I love to hear others play"
Isabella nod and shrugged
" maybe while we decorated you can play a little let us hear" Aunt Betty said
"Maybe" leona said
"No maybe honey you never show the family your other talent other from picture taking your music talent that is or other talent that you got" isabella said
Leona smile shyly
"So leona you'll leave high school soon I get you're going to study art like your mom" carmen asked
Leona grin and nod it's her aim
"I wish you luck, any college of your choice?" Carmen inquire
"I've two more years to pick a college or for one to pick me"
"Your mom attended the georgia state university study arts and look at her now" Jeana said
Isabella look at her sister
"Mom will never let me move here" leona said
"As you said some minutes ago you still has two years to figure it out" carmen said as she got up from the table to clear the dishes
"I'll help you" isabella said
"I'll help" leona said
"Yes dear let her help" June said
"You and Jeana can get the decorations" maybel said
Isabella look at Jeana and chring
"What don't tell me you're still scared to go in the attic"
Isabella shook her head
Ralf look at her
"You know me and small spaces but I'll come"
"I'll give you girls a hand " keith said
They made their way up to the attic isabella staying behind Jeana look back and smile "scaredy cat" she said
"Go a head make fun" isabella said she stay by the at the door as keith and Jeana went in and take the boxes out the first two that they out by the door isabella took them and went back down,
Jeana came laughing at her for still being afraid of the attic,
Uncle rowey bring the tree into the living room with Rallf's and Marlon's help
It was a nice tree and it barely stand up before leona took the picture they together decorated and Kelly and leona trill them with music playing the piano,
"She's good very good" carmen said as she listen to leona play
"Yeah where did she learns to play like that?" Jeana asked
"The net I think" isabella lie it was her father's talent she adopted she remembers back in college he was the best player he play for almost every functions that held in georgia state university he got the fingers for it they were magical just like he had magical love her and bring forth a daughter one isabella loves with all her heart,
She wonder if james was doing music anywhere he's in the world she never heard and try not to ask all she knew and felt certain that he's far away from harlem and she will not see him while she's here.