CHAPTER 12
One Monday afternoon as Bernice and Mary sat in the front porch swing, a thought came to Bernice; it was a thought she’d been entertaining for weeks but hadn’t known how to present to Auntie Momma. As they swung, the squeak of thick, rusty chains on the old wooden swing sang a lazy melody in the early evening breeze. The big, blushing sun moved discreetly behind the tallest, most distant trees in that small, wooded area. Birds rushed from limb to limb, claiming their space for the night.
“That poor man. What’s he going to do with all of those children and no wife?” Bernice asked as she continued to stare out into wide-open dusk. “What’s he going to do, Auntie Momma?”
“Don’ know, babe. Don’ know. The Lord’ll make a way.” She paused. “The good Lord always make a way.” Mary stared ahead, never crossing glances with Bernice.
The next afternoon, after supper, sitting on the front porch, Bernice spoke again, disturbed and anxious. “Auntie Momma, why don’t you go on up there and see if Mr. Leigh needs you to help him with those children?” She continued without hesitation. “I know you can do something up there to help him out a little bit, don’t you think so?” With that she stopped and waited a response from Mary. Still not daring to look at Mary, Bernice stared around the front yard and out into that familiar distance.
After a long silence, Mary spoke as if each word had been measured. “Don’ know, babe. Mr. Leigh ain’t ask me for no help. I saw him this mornin’ headin’ for work. It seem like he goin’ be alright.” She talked on as she rose slowly from the swing. “Seem like that boy doin’ a mighty fine job up there wit’ them little ones.” By now Mary was standing at the edge of the porch, staring up in the direction of the Leigh’ house unconsciously. She stepped from the porch, walked over to the side of the house, and began to pull wild grass from the edge. Bernice kept quiet because she knew Mary was in deep thought.
Finally, Bernice said, “Go on up there, Auntie Momma. If you don’t like it, you can just come on back home, that’s all. Mr. Leigh can’t make you stay if you don’t want to stay. Just go on and see if he can use you.”
Mary pondered the situation silently for days; she felt like a ton of weight sat squarely on her anxious shoulders. Then one Thursday evening after the two had shared a rather quiet supper, Mary walked into her bedroom for the night and quietly closed the door behind her. Bernice cleared the kitchen table and washed the dishes. After reading a few verses from the Bible, she retired to her bedroom just off the back porch; she didn’t want to disturb Mary during her time of decision-making. They would talk in the morning, Bernice decided.
Mary must have been praying for hours. Bernice woke up at one point and glanced at the bedside clock; it was 2:00 a.m. and she could hear Mary from deep inside the house praying to God for strength. Bernice turned over and fell back into a deep sleep. At about 4:15 a.m. Bernice awoke with a start. The sound of Mary’s voice praying shook her awake. It felt like the walls in the house were vibrating under the strength of Mary’s words. Bernice could have sworn her bed was trembling.
“Keep praying, Auntie Momma!” Bernice whispered as she sat up in the middle of her bed.
“Keep worrying Him until He gives you what you want.” With that, she covered her head with the floral sheet and returned to her pillow and sleep.