Legacy of Love

Chapter 27





Zoe awoke the following morning to a cacophony of sound and activity. Cars, women’s voices calling out directions, doors opening and closing. She pulled herself halfway up when her foot met with a solid object and she remembered that she and Jackson had spent the better part of the night talking and talking. He must have fallen asleep across the bottom of the bed.

Laughing she realized that this was the first night that they’d spent together and not made love. And it was all right.

“Hey, sleepy head,” she softly called out, crawling to the bottom of the bed.

Jackson’s eyes squinted open against the rays of the morning sun. He looked around trying to get his thoughts to focus. “I must have fallen asleep,” he said, his voice still thick and rough.

“You think!” she teased. “Come on and get up before someone sees you creeping out of my boudoir.”

Before she could react Jackson had flipped her over and pinned her beneath him. “Happy birthday, baby.”

She grinned. “Thanks.” She pecked him on the lips.

“I would love for both of us to get in our birthday suits but sounds like the troops are up and active.”

He rolled over and Zoe hopped off the bed. “Go, go before someone sees you,” she said, shooing him out of the door. “What time will Levi and Michelle get here?”

“He said around noon. They were going to check in to the hotel first and then head over.”

“Okay. I’m going to shower and get dressed. Sounds like they could use some supervision. I’ll meet you out back when you’re ready.”

Zoe spun away from the door, feeling giddy inside. She was happy. Really happy and she was looking forward to whatever the day would bring her. She was finally ready.



When she came out back the massive lawn was covered with white circular tables and matching wooden chairs. A group of men from Nana Zora’s church were struggling with putting up a tent and the ladies auxiliary were setting up the tables and spreading white tablecloths across them. The driveway was lined with cars filled with neighbors bringing trays of food, coolers and gift bags.

Zoe covered her mouth in shock. Her heart swelled in her chest. She couldn’t believe that this was all for her. There were faces that she hadn’t seen in years. All of them were there for her. Sharlene and Ray were already pitching in, wrapping up the trees with stringed balloons. Nana sat in her favorite backyard chair beneath the biggest tree at the far end of the yard, calling out directions like a drill sergeant between sips of what Zoe knew was mint julep.

“Happy birthday, baby,” Aunt Flo said giving her a quick kiss as she ambled down the porch steps balancing a bowl of punch.

Aunt Fern was right behind her carrying a big metal wash bucket—for what, Zoe had no idea. “Happy birthday,” she said on her way down the steps. “You best get out of the way or you’ll get run down.”

Another car tried to get onto the driveway but it was full. The driver parked and Levi, Michelle and Shay got out.

Zoe waved to them from the porch. They wound their way around the tables and people and finally reached her.

“Oh, my goodness!” Michelle exclaimed. “I had no idea. I was thinking a family gathering.”

Zoe laughed with joy. “So did I. Hey, Shay, did you enjoy the drive?”

She bobbed her head transfixed by all of the activity.

“You find the place okay, Levi?”

“No problem. Where’s Jackson?”

“Good question. He should be coming down soon. Can I get you all anything?”

“No, I’m good,” Levi said. Michelle agreed.

“Okay, well, let me introduce you around.”



By late afternoon the tables were set and decorated, the tent was up, the racks of food were being spread out on Sternos that stretched across four six-foot tables. Buckets of ice were still being brought in and the two grills were getting hot. The men from the church had set up a small stage for the blues band that Zoe’s mother had hired and the yard looked like a fairy tale.

“Your family has gone all out,” Jackson was saying as they stole a quiet moment alone.

“I can’t believe this is all for me. I’m just without words.”

Jackson hugged her. “You deserve it, baby.”

“I better get dressed. And you, too. Nana said six sharp.”

“Yes, ma’am.”



Sharlene, Michelle and Zoe shared Zoe’s bedroom mirror to finish their makeup and hair.

“I told you that dress was the one,” Sharlene said as Zoe strutted across the room, did a pirouette then struck a pose.

“Jackson’s eyes are going to pop,” Michelle said.

“That’s not all he’s going to pop,” Sharlene said with a snicker.

“Sharlene you are so awful,” Zoe said, but she couldn’t wait to get Jackson alone.

The music from the band floated up to the window.

“It’s party time,” Sharlene announced, wiggling her hips. “Let me go and find my man.” She sashayed out and Michelle and Zoe followed suit.

“You know I’ve been working on the genealogical software program,” Michelle was saying to Zoe while they walked down the hall to the stairs.

“Hmm, umm, how’s that going?”

“Well,” she said, in an excited whisper. “I decided to trace our family and I traced us all the way back to a small village in Mali.”

Zoe face flamed. “What?”

“Yep. And the chief of the village had a son, Etu, who was captured and sold right here in New Orleans! He was our great-great-grandfather. Can you believe it?”

Zoe’s temples began to pound. Etu and Zinzi. Oh, my God, Nana was right. She could barely breathe. “Did you bring the printout?”

“I think so. If I didn’t leave it on the dresser. I wanted to surprise Jackson, but at the last minute we started rushing…”

Zoe swallowed. “If you find it…I would love to see it.”

“Sure.”

They stepped outside and the party began.



Food and drinks flowed, laughter floated through the air on the notes of the band. Couples and singles danced across the grass. And as the sun began to set, the candles on each of the tables were lit.

“Happy, baby?” Jackson asked as they swayed to the music.

“Very.”

The piercing screech of the microphone cut through the music followed by Miraya’s voice.

“Can I have everyone’s attention?” she shouted into the mike.

By degrees, the crowd quieted down.

“Thank you everyone for coming here today and for all the help in making this day special for my daughter, Zoe.”

The crowd erupted into applause.

“I am thankful for my child. I wasn’t always the mother that I should have been but I never stopped loving her. And because of the love she received from my mother, Zora, and my sisters, Fern and Flo, she is a wonderful, wonderful woman who makes me proud every day.” She turned a bit toward the band and gave them a cue. Slowly she faced the audience and the swell of the Billie Holiday classic “God Bless the Child” moved easily like the Mississippi across the night.

“Them that’s got shall get, them that’s not shall lose…” Miraya’s controlled contralto voice seeped into the souls of the listeners.

“…so the bible says but it still is news…”

Zoe felt tears sting her eyes. She hadn’t heard her mother really sing in years and now she remembered the power of that voice and understood why she wanted to chase her life.

“…mama may have, papa may have…”

Jackson took her in his arms and they moved as one to the heartrending song.

“…but God bless the child that got his own that got his own…” The band held that last note of promise then faded out.

“Happy birthday, Zoe,” Miraya said into the mike and the hundred plus guests erupted into the Happy Birthday anthem while an enormous cake was wheeled out on a cart, lit with what looked like a hundred candles instead of thirty.

Zoe was crying full-blown now, her eyes so cloudy with tears that Jackson had to lead her over to her cake.

“Make a wish!”

Zoe closed her eyes. She knew what she wanted. She knew it was possible—if she believed. She held Jackson’s hand, took a deep breath and blew them all out.