The Professor Ch. 15

I hugged Mrs. Edwards, "Yes Mrs. Edwards..."

She held her finger up, "It's Mom or Momma..."

I smiled to her, "Yes Momma. I'll get him home. He's exhausted," I looked into his much burned out eyes and knew it was time. He got changed into some civilian clothes and brought a week's worth of clothing with him. Our drive went quickly and quietly. We went to bed and Steven slept for ten hours mostly in my arms. I wanted to keep the ugly away from my baby. He'd had and seen enough for a while. He'd been strong enough for a while – it was time to turn loose.

Two weeks after the funeral he had a crash – fortunately we were working on my lawn when it happened. Steven was busy planting azaleas; one moment he was digging and the next moment he was sprawled backwards on the grass – not moving. I panicked and almost broke a leg trying to get to him. He had passed out. The strain and stress had caught up with him. The fire-rescue medics came and tended to him. He was sitting up by the time they got to him – he stayed with me and we worked through his great grief. It was in those dark days as I watched him draw his strength from our conversations, visits by his commander LTC Calwell and his pastor's prayers; it was in that time that I became his woman forever there would be no one other than Steven for me – into eternity. I prayed so hard for him and he got better. Our romance kept its bloom. He and I focused on the little things, things so insignificant to the hilarious antics of college kids that we would be overlooked for priggishness and stodginess when nothing was further from the truth.

Evie even noticed that we were 'different' - like we didn't know the world around us existed...we didn't. There was much to be busy with and she felt that she was losing her best friend and I guess that she was right too because Steven had become my best friend. We had her over to dinner several times but we didn't do the 'girlfriend stuff'. I tried to be compassionate about us but there was Steven and he worked so hard at home with his Momma, his studies, the ROTC and with us – the few moments we had we cherished and held close to us. Evie came over one afternoon while Steven was rebuilding a part of the garage wall. I didn't know that he heard Evie's part of our conversation, "Girl you know you ain't white. You cain't pass. What gonna happen when goes off to war? He gonna find himself a white woman and you gonna be shit outta luck!"

Steven came around the side porch where we were talking, "Dr. Marshal I don't appreciate your attitude. I know I've consumed a lot of Phylissia's time. It's my fault that she hasn't spent a lot more time with you since I've been in her life but that doesn't give you permission to be hateful ma'am. Phylissia's your friend and would help you faster than a cat could lick its butt. You owe her an apology ma'am..."

"Well what about you mister high and mighty ROTC-rat?" She scowled.

Steven stepped up on the porch and walked toward her, his eyes blazing mad, "Ma'am it's time for you to leave. You've been ugly and rude to two people who love you and that is wrong. Fact is you have no shame about your filthy mouth and nasty attitude. You're gonna need us one day and you'll have burned your bridges," he pointed toward the driveway, "your car is over there – it's time for you to leave."

I thought for a fast-minute she was gonna take a swing at Steven but she didn't she just broke down and cried and Steven went over to her and held her in his big old arms and I stood up and went over to her and hugged her tight to us, "Now, now Evie-darlin' it's alright. We love ya sistah and it don't matter how often we see ya we love ya. Doncha know that?"

She blubbered and cried, "Oh my babies I'm so sorry for my nasty-ass mouth – I deserved that but I miss ya so much," she leaned back from Steven's arms, "you handsome man I know why she love you so much – you ain't afraid of shit especially my fat, smart-ass self."

Steven patted her face and kissed her on both cheeks, "You play nice I've got work to finish..." He leaned around Evie and kissed me, "I love you baby so much..."

I love me some Steven. Evie never again opened her mouth like that. She and I sat on the porch while Steven kept his hands busy. Evie marveled at his industriousness and his passion for me, "Girl that man is somethin' else agin. They ain't none like him."

I agreed with her as I watched him work. His restlessness and his deep sense of loss kept him occupied. Our lovemaking had become anything but routine. His passion was always fiery tempered with a sweetness that always made him concerned about me. He told one afternoon around Thanksgiving that he never wanted me to feel like he took me for granted – he wanted me to feel loved and that our relationship was new every day. We never argued – we talked everything through completely – his respect for my opinion was so strong that he'd challenge anyone who'd try to shout me down to quiet my opinion. I always knew when that was coming. I watched his eyes then his hands, his muscles tensed up and then he stood and confront what he called the 'misanthrope' who would dare to deny me my 'sovereign right to speak my truth.' His command of the English language was mind-boggling.

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Christmas was a healing time for the Edwards family and the Wright family. Steven felt that we needed to 'fix' things with our families. He was finishing up his work for two of his theory classes in the office. The familiar tapping of chalk on that blackboard meant he was deep into his work. The tapping stopped and the house was eerily quiet. I walked toward the office and saw that he had his head in his hands. "Hi baby...how's it going," I asked him.

He pointed to the board. It looked like a chalk-eating chicken had shit all over that board, "I solved the quagmire," he smiled.

"Really? It looks like some other language or something baby," I teased him.

I went over and hugged his neck and he pulled me into the chair with him. We snuggled and kissed for a long while and he suddenly stopped kissing me and said he needed to stand up. So I got up and he got on one knee and took my hand, "Phylissia Carole Wright will you marry me?"

I was flabbergasted, "Baby I said I would – what is this?"

He smiled with tears in his eyes, "I just need a yes or no...please?"

His tears started mine, "Yes my darling Steven of course I'll marry you..."

He pulled out a beautiful diamond engagement ring, yellow 18-karat gold with a 1-karat brilliant cut diamond and put it on my ring finger of my left hand, "I love you Lissia and I want to spend the rest of my life with you," he stood and took me in his strong arms and kissed me the sweetest lover's kiss I've ever experienced. My heart was full of joy. I shook so badly I couldn't talk.

Finally we pulled apart and I looked at the ring, "Steven this is too much!"

"I wish it could be more. Dad left me money with this note," he handed the note to me.

"My Son I want you to buy your sweet Lissia an engagement ring. Your Momma and I talked this over and this is what we wanted to do for the two of you. We love you, I'm sorry I wasn't around to see the ring on her finger, Love - Dad," I couldn't speak – I just looked into his beautiful, tear-filled eyes. We held onto to one another for a long, long time as we cried on one another's shoulders.

We decided our Christmas gifts would be reconciliation. We decorated 'our home' with a fresh cut balsam fir. Its fragrance filled the house. We picked a day and invited his Momma and my parents to our home for a Christmas dinner. We went down and picked up Mrs. Edwards – Momma and Daddy made the one hour drive and we had a very long talk among us. Steven thanked everyone for coming as we sat down at the table and then he started, "Mr. and Mrs. Wright I'm sorry you never got to know my father – that's my fault for being angry at how separated Phylissia felt from y'all. I was protecting her, the best I knew how. Mom I'm sorry I've been so hard on Hal and Georgie – I never meant to hurt you or Dad or his memory. It won't be long before I graduate and get commissioned and no doubt will be heading off to Vietnam. I don't want any hard feelings among us. I love Phylissia – I've given her an engagement ring after I asked her once more if she would marry me. I'm thankful to God that she loves me still and said yes. I'm going to need a lot of help from all of you while I'm away. You need to love one another and look after my baby – I'll be too far away to come running. Reverend Broughton said that whatever we ask in Jesus' Name we'll get – I ask tonight in Jesus' Name that we lay aside our differences and be a family. We need y'all in our lives."

It was deathly quiet in the kitchen when Momma spoke, "Steven I never thought my baby would bring home a white boy well you're a sure enough man so that being said I agree with you...me and Cyrus had a long talk when Phylissia called and invited us to Christmas dinner with you and your sweet Momma," she patted Daddy's hand and he nodded as if to say 'you doing fine Momma', "well we hope you'll forgive us for how we treated you but most of all how we treated our child our baby girl when it weren't her fault," she broke down and cried. Steven's Momma got up and put her arms around my Momma and stroked her head and hugged her to her heart. Daddy just cried as Steven got up and went over to Daddy and held out his hand, "Sir?" Daddy stood up with tears fallin' off his leather-like face and hugged Steven to him – I went to my men and hugged them. Our Christmas giving had been accepted.

We talked until Daddy asked, "Are we gonna eat child or we gonna talk ourselves to death?"

Steven carved the turkey and we all pitched in and filled the table to groaning with cornbread and sausage dressing, giblet gravy, cranberry sauce and sweet potato casserole with marshmallows on top. Momma said grace and thanked God that he sent someone to love their baby that he was the best gift they'd ever had.

Steven tried to mend fences with his brothers – they wouldn't talk to him. They would continue to create problems in his life and that was wrong.

We had Evie over for 'turkey leftovers' and she was hysterical – regaling us with stories of her love conquests and finally revealed that she was after her version of Steven – a burly, white stevedore whom she met at the Athens restaurant down near the ship channel. Steven and I were in shock. He just shook his head, "Evie, Evie, Evie you are something else again woman," he smiled and she cackled.

We had one event before Christmas that was mandatory for the ROTC unit and its members - The Annual Christmas Ball. Steven didn't assume I would go – he asked me to go. He was so polite, "Lissia, would you go with me to the Annual Christmas Ball for the unit? I want you on my arm as my fiancé – the love of my life."

I told him, "Of course I'll go with you. You didn't have to ask me you could have just said we're going..."

He turned and looked at me with a hurt expression in his eyes, "No I couldn't do that to you. I love you too much to order you around. We're going to spend the rest of our life together baby. There can never be an assumption about us – ever. I love you. It will always be my honor to be seen in public with you wherever we are."

His words just tore me up. I didn't know what to say, "Is it formal?"

"Yes. Do you have a dress?"

I smiled, "I have several it depends on how much of me you want me to show off," I winked at him.

"Lissia when you walk into a room everyone looks your way – you're sexy...you wear what you like the best and I'll be proud of you," we kissed and that started our lovemaking for the night. Our passion was so beautiful – the tempo and rhythm was second nature to us – we loved each other so much that we held each other into the night and woke in one another's arms...my bed would be very empty in a few months and not because of our sexual prowess or needs but because waking up with your love is far more desirous than anything you can imagine.

The night of the ball Steven picked me up wearing his cutaway dress blues. His commander promoted him to his unit's executive officer and he wore his rank well. He brought me cymbidium orchids in a wrist corsage. I wore my red gown that clung and a white fox stole. Steven was dazzled by my appearance and I'm glad for I asked him, "Is this okay with you?'

"Lissia you are stunning...you look like a celebrity or royalty dressed like this," he kissed me.

Our entrance to the ball was through the receiving line where LTC Calwell greeted us with his wife, "Dr. Wright and Cadet Major Edwards how nice that you've joined us. Dr. Wright may I say that you are stunning. This is my wife Clarice, sweetheart this is Dr. Wright and Cadet Major Edwards."

We ladies took one another's hands and Mrs. Calwell told me how beautiful I was and I graciously accepted her compliment. We moved through the line and we had to stand at the end of the line behind Cadet Colonel Ciricci, the unit's cadet commander and his date as the unit's officers. Richard and Maria Elena came through and were thrilled to see us. Since I was wearing gloves Maria Elena couldn't see my ring. After all the Cadets and their dates arrived we joined Richard and Maria Elena – it seems Steven had already told Richard about the ring and Maria was begging to see it. We were giddy together. The night was lovely – we did get quite a few stares but with Steven's cadet rank they were at great risk in their assignments for being obnoxiously bigoted so he carefully listened to what was being said. His hand was always on my back – he never left my side. I had never been to such an amazing event before. There were several black ROTC cadets with their dates and I think they stared the hardest at us. A few of the young black women spoke to me in the ladies room wondering how I could date a white man – I showed them my ring, "We're engaged to be married," and that shocked them into complete surprise.

One young woman, Janet Pullen, was there with a date but really wanted to be there with another cadet that Steven knew very well. She cried when she saw my ring and asked me if she could hug me. She confessed that she was scared to be in love with man she really loved but that we had given her hope. Our fairy tale night ended as blissfully as it began. We had danced and enjoyed our evening like no other.

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Steven continues the story....

The New Year flew by as school was quickly coming to a close – I had a semester left. Mom was getting adjusted to Dad not being there – I hadn't made the adjustment yet but with Lissia's loving attention it was getting better. We still couldn't get married but we were getting closer. Lissia's sabbatical was going very well. She had framed in her first book and was writing all the background for it while we shared the office. She is brilliant and beautiful and my love. Her closeness to me during the time of my Dad's death changed my life forever. I would love her for the rest of my life and never want another woman. It was strange for me to feel that way I was young and my friends all had multiple girl friends – in fact they changed girlfriends like they changed socks. I wanted Lissia.

Each Cadet had to be reviewed by LTC Calwell. I went to mine not knowing what to expect. I reported in to him wearing my Class A or dress green uniform and saluted him, Cadet Major Edwards reporting as ordered sir!"

He returned my salute, "Have a seat Steven. I want this conversation to be brief. Your grades put you number one in our unit academically which means you've been recommended for the National Honor Society, Scabbard and Blade – your devotion to your academic, athletic and military responsibilities are cases in point to your character and integrity. Your Cadet Efficiency Review (CER) is a 100. With one semester left it is very likely that you'll be the Distinguished Military Graduate. It is because of your principled leadership, personal integrity, and your achievements in spite of great personal tragedy that sets you apart and as such you are being promoted to Cadet Colonel and student commander of the unit. Congratulations Steven," he smiled and handed me my CER and my orders for promotion to Cadet Colonel.

I was shocked. I couldn't wait to tell Lissia. The colonel knew it too.

"I won't keep you, I think that there's someone waiting for you who'll be thrilled to know that her fiancé is the new Cadet Colonel," he smiled and stood, shaking my hand.

I saluted him, "Thank you sir!"

"Carry on Cadet Colonel Edwards," he returned my salute.

I walked quickly to my car ignoring three of my classmates who spoke, "Hi Steven!" I took about four steps and realized it turning around.

"Hey David, Jackie!" I called after them.

They turned around, "We figured you were so important that you forgot your lesser peers," they chided me.

"I'm sorry for that please forgive me?" I asked.

"You look like the cat that swallowed the canary," Jackie Ki grinned.

"Yeah I guess," my face flushed red.

"Okay general fess up...what is it this time...a PhD?" David teased.

"I wish," I smiled, "no I just had my annual review with LTC Calwell and it was a good one that's all. I was running to tell Mom and my girl."

I had said too much as Jackie smirked, "You know my sister isn't gonna like you having a girlfriend that isn't her."

"Who is it Steven?" David pushed the point.

"She's at the Private university," I admitted though not telling all of it.

"Oh a private school chick huh Steven?" Jackie had a wicked sense of humor that had a bite to it.

I just smiled and shook hands with David and hugged Jackie, "I've got to run y'all – this uniform is hot and I have some errands. Catch y'all on the flip side," I waved and burned a trail to the car.

Lissia was typing on her manuscript when I got to her...well our home as she reminds me routinely, "Hey baby I'm in here," I heard her call to me as I came in the back door.

I walked into the office with a huge smile on my face, "Hello my love – I missed you and I love you," I told her as I quickly took her in my arms and kissed her. She was dressed comfortably in sweat pants and a sweatshirt in her sock feet.

"You look so handsome in your uniform," she cooed to me, "I love you sweetie. So how'd it go with LTC Calwell?"

I handed her the review and the orders. She read the review and began smiling, "So...only a 100? What else?" she kept reading and got to the orders as she read them the reality of what had happened sank in, "Oh Steven this is wonderful! I am so proud of you baby." She threw her arms around my neck and began kissing me. Of course I had no quarrel with how she chose to reward me.

Lissia had news of her own, "I want to share something with you."

"Okay, you have my undivided attention," I smiled as I held her close.

"The private university has offered me a full professorship," she blurted it out.

"What?! Oh Lissia that is wonderful news! You see I told you how great a teacher you are..." I was grinning like a horse eating briars.

"Not so fast...I'm their first ever black faculty even if I'm on sabbatical," she confessed.

"What does that mean though? You're still an associate professor at the University and this is the next logical step..."

"Yes but it's very fast," she tried to counter.

"Okay let's look at this logically. You finished high school at sixteen went to Spelman and finished a double major in three years with a 4.0; you studied for a dual Masters in Science at Brown and were finished in two years; and completed your PhD at Harvard in four years. You were a twenty-three year old PhD. Is that because you're black? I don't think so – the high school and undergrad schools were black schools right?" I pushed her hard.