Beautiful Soul

Chapter 5: Church Folks/Gossip Folks

I woke up in the hospital. I sat up and went to raise my arms and saw I had tubes through them. I rolled over facing Mama who was in the chair I looked over and saw auntie CeeJay on the couch by the bed. "Mom? " I croaked. She moved her arms then turned her face to me but her eyes were closed, I sighed. "MOM!!" I managed coughing in the process. She shot up. "Kyla.." auntie Celia woke up next to me. "What happened?" I asked. Mama sighed "You had an anxiety attack. Then passed out. You were here for 4 days." I sat up shocked. That never happened before.

After everything happened, I sat there in that hospital room. One of the nurses came in and she looked so familiar. "Kyla?" "Yes maam?" I said as I sat up "My name is Charlotte" I nodded and let her hook up the monitor. "Are you okay?" I shook my head "I'm scared Ms Charlotte" I put my hand on my stomach. She looked at me. "Baby pray. I promise everything will be alright" I nodded. I looked at her again, "Can you please stay in here while I pray please?" She nodded and held my hand. I prayed like you wouldn't believe.I prayed this prayer "Lord I know I haven't been to church I know I haven't been doing your work and I'm really sorry I am ready to commit to you Lord please!" By the time I finished I had tears streaming down my face. I knew then what I had to do. It's time to come back to God and let him do what he does best.

That night as I slept I had a dream of mama Flo. I was in the house and opened the front door much to her disliking and saw three men who had red eyes. "Mama?!" I screamed she ran into the room and I screamed as one took me his hands burned my flesh. "MOM!!!" I cried out. She was about to run to me but ended up being held down by the other two. "KYLA!!" When I looked at the one who held me I saw the first man who tried to hurt me when I was 10. "Uncle Tyson?" He smiled and took a gun and had his finger on the trigger. BOW! I sat up in the hospital bed and the machines went haywire. My breathing was off. The doctor rushed in, the nurse ms Charlotte was behind him. "Ky what happened?" See the thing about her is she went to church with me and mama at New Hope Way of the Cross church of Christ international. I shook "I wanna be baptized" I had to not only for me but my baby. I was so scared about where my life was going to be in the next few months.

Two weeks later mama and I are in the room I am sitting in her bed and watching tv. "Mama?" I said as she braids my hair. "Yes babe?" "Can I be baptized?" She stops and looks at me. "Sure we will talk about minister Micah." I smiled. You see mama and I no longer go to the church in Columbia. I loved it! I'm getting baptized soon!! That night mama started talking to Mr. Micah's wife on the phone. I felt my chest and stomach get tight which meant I was going to be sick. I ignored the feeling and told her I was going to stand outside. I stepped outside and it was cold as heck out. I sat down on the front porch. The feeling came over me once again and I doubled over in the bushes, my entire dinner came up. "K?" I felt my hair being held back. I turned over and faced Caleb and mama. "I need my medicine." Mama nodded and Caleb helped me up. Mama's kitten ran to me "watch out Ida" Mama said. She moved out the way "Caleb take her to my room now please" I looked at her "Mama?" she looked at me "Hmm?" "What did Ms Kenya say?" she looked at me and smiled "Sunday you are being baptized and they want me to sing." I looked at her. She had a beautiful voice. She looked at me and said "Did you have a specific song?" I closed my eyes as nausea hit me again. "Mhm" I answered and said "Daddy sang for me Never Would Have Made It By Marvin Sapp." her eyes watered. She sniffled "That was Clarence. I will sing it for you baby." I smiled and she gave me some tea.

That night mama had me in her room bundled up under the covers. A pain hit my stomach and I woke up Mama was still up. She looked over at me in her hand she held a letter. "Kyla?" I sat up and went to her. She was shivering. I went to my room and got my fluffy blanket and covered us up. "Yes maam?" "this letter is from your school. Allen Waters High School. "Dear Ms Watkins, we regret to inform you that Kyla has been Expelled from our school. Due to her being in the family way we cannot have that type of behavior in our school. We have a list of continuation schools she could attend. Please forgive us." I sighed deeply and shook my head bro what the hell was I going to do now? Mama looked at me "We gonna home school you I'll enroll you in K-12. We have wifi and there is no excuse as to why you cannot finish school. When Mama, Celia and Tracey find this out its gonna be something."
Three days later I am wearing white now. Everyone was looking at me and pointing at me. I focused my attention on what mattered most. It was the fact that Mama Auntie Celia uncle Tracey and my cousins and aunties and uncle are here! Minister Micah stands at the podium. "Hello everyone, we come before you today to witness the baptism of Kyla Renee Clark-Watkins. Getting baptized is a special moment. To add on to the moment is her mom Sister Florence." Mama stood up and walked to the front of the church and the music started shortly after. She looked at me and opened her mouth. The words flowed out of her and next thing I knew I was standing making my way to the front. My eyes were filling up with tears. By the time she finished Caleb was beside me at the altar along with everyone. We were crying and singing. I was looking at my mama and she looked so beautiful. She was singing and looking at me at the same time. When she finished the song I ran to her and hugged her to me.