Love Knows No Color Pt. 21

That weekend was the train show in Monroeville, just a few short miles from home. We'd made arrangements for Barbara to take Brittany and Ethan for the weekend so we didn't have to keep an eye on them during the show. It was also compensation to her for the weekend they'd miss when we went on vacation to my parents' farm the end of July. Kenny and Edie helped us staff the table. Shavonda, Kenny and I had gone through our collective photos and picked out the best ones, which we had printed up in 8X10 glossies. Shavonda had also put her artistic talents to use, designing several railroad themes t shirts which were printed up. I'd shown Kenny how to screen print, and he'd made several dozen shirts.

Regarding Kenny, he still hadn't found work in his field, But Shavonda said he had picked up various aspects of her business without difficulty. To be honest, we liked having him around. I'd said before, he was the closest thing to a brother I had.

His relationship with Edie was rocky, but they loved each other enough to stick it out. A lot of that had to do with Edie's insecurities. Shavonda said she'd been like that ever since her father's murder. While Edie put up a brave face in public, and had done well for herself in her career, deep down she was still that thirteen-year-old girl who'd just lost her Daddy. She clung to Kenny, afraid that if she let him out of her sight he'd never come back, like her father on that fateful summer afternoon so long ago. Kenny did his best to comfort her, and when they weren't at work, they were always together.

And so, with our table set up at the train show, we took turns manning the booth, while the other couple roamed the show. When Shavonda and I were at the table, we kept Miracle in her carrier beside our chairs. When we roamed the show, we had her strapped in her sling. She was always with us, but a little irritated that she couldn't crawl around. I tried my best to keep her busy with her toys when she wasn't napping, while Shavonda took care of the sales. At the end of the weekend, we'd sold most of the merchandise we'd brought, which had also included a sampling of her handmade jewelry. It seemed that a lot of women came with their husbands, and outside of a couple of people selling dollhouses, we were the only people who had anything to interest them. All in all, the weekend was a success, and based on our sales Shavonda reserved us a table at the next two train shows, in November and February.

The Wednesday after the train show, I rented a trailer for our gear, and after work we loaded everything up. Thursday morning, we started our vacation, leaving early in the morning with the kids securely strapped into their car seats, trailer in tow. Shaunice rode in the very back of the Liberty. She had managed to talk her way into coming to my class reunion with us on Friday, in exchange for braiding Shavonda's hair. To be honest, I was no longer mad at Shaunice, and it was nice to have her along for the long trip.

We headed for my parent's farm, driving in shifts as usual. The others would follow tomorrow, for it was Grandma Waite's birthday celebration this weekend. This year, James and Althea were making the trip. They'd become as much a part of the Waite family as anybody else. It really made me proud that they'd been accepted the way they had. I remembered my childhood, and how both the Waites and Duncans had come together along with the MacFarlands, and made one big happy family. That was the kind of relationship I saw developing between the Jenkins family and my own.

We arrived in the late afternoon sun, pacing a westbound train up the valley out of Paint Bank. It was surprising how fast they moved on the relative flat of the valley, getting a run for the climb over the mountain that began just before Waiteville. When we pulled up in front of the house, Mom and Grandma were sitting on the front porch waiting for us as usual. Unloading our tings from the Liberty, we joined them on the porch, making small talk as we watched the gradually shifting light play over the mountains that flanked our valley on either side, disappearing into the distance. It was a beautiful sight. And it would always be home.

In the morning, after Shavonda and I helped Mom make the usual breakfast, Shaunice got to work on Shavonda's hair. The ladies sat in the Kitchen as Shaunice first straightened Shavonda's hair, then brushed it out and braided it, with a long braid on each side above her ears, trailing back along the sides of her head. It was the same style Shavonda had worn to the funeral, and I thought it gave her an elegant look. After Shaunice finished, she beckoned me. "Come on now," she insisted, "it's your turn."

I sat in the chair as Shaunice brushed out my long dark brown hair, then quickly threaded it into an Indian braid down the center of my back. It was weird not having Shavonda do it, but familiar at the same time. "I've wanted to play in that hair ever since I met you," Shaunice laughed. Shavonda shot her an evil look, before breaking into a smile.

I wound up pitching the tent in the backyard. To make room for the other guests, Shavonda and I would sleep outside tonight. Not that either of us minded. It was fun camping out, with the noises of the crickets and the night trains lulling us to sleep. It was peaceful, and after the stress we'd been under a great way to relax. I also pitched the smaller tent we'd bought the day I got Shavonda her hiking boots. Brittany and Ethan would be able to sleep outside if they wanted. It probably wouldn't be tonight, as we'd be getting back late from the reunion. But at least one of these nights, wed build a bonfire, toast marshmallows and make mountain pies, then they could crawl into their sleeping bags when they got tired.

It occurred to me that, in our two years together we'd never actually gone camping. I'd promised Shavonda we would, but with the Ren fests taking up half of our summer weekends finding the time was an issue. Maybe during the coming week, we could slip away for a day or two with the kids and really camp out. We were in the middle of the national forest, so there were plenty of places we could go nearby. And my family could experience firsthand the lifestyle I'd lived before I'd moved to the city.

In the late afternoon, Kenny and Edie arrived with James and Althea. Although they'd driven separate cars, they'd driven down together. James had borrowed my two-way radios, and with Kenny's portable ham unit, they were able to communicate on the way down. I didn't think they'd get lost. After all, Kenny had grown up just down the hill in Waiteville where the MacFarlands still lived. And James had made the trip often enough that I was sure he knew the way.

Edie went off to help Shavonda and Shaunice get ready for the reunion, while Kenny, James and I sat on the back porch making plans for our hike to Norcross tomorrow morning. We'd get up early, and leave the house between six and seven. We wanted to get an early start for two reasons. First, we'd be back in time for Grandma's birthday celebration. Second, by making our hike we'd avoid being on the tracks in the heat of the day. All of us being familiar with the railroad, we knew how much hotter it could get on the tracks with steels rails and dark crossties absorbing the heat while the gray stone ballast rock reflected it back up at us as we walked. Mom would have sandwiches made from dinner leftovers for us to take, along with several bottles of water she'd thrown in the freezer overnight. Mom and Althea would watch the kids while we were out, but I knew there was no way in hell Shavonda and Edie weren't coming along. Both of them enjoyed the adventure, and Shavonda was teaching Edie about birds as well. It promised to be a fun trip.

I showed them the letter we'd gotten from our friend Scott, who ran trains over that particular line. In it, he'd responded to my telling him we'd probably be hiking various sections of the line, taking photos of the rock formations and other lineside details for the purpose of duplicating them in miniature on my model railroad layout.

"You should be good hiking there," he'd written. "There are usually only two railroad cops on duty at any given time. One will be patrolling the yard at Wolf Creek, and the other will be somewhere out on the line patrolling. But since his territory covers all lines out of Wolf Creek, the chances you'll see him are slim. Stay off the tracks when the train come and you should be fine. Promise me you won't walk through the tunnels or over the bridges! It's way too dangerous!"

"If you're going to be out in the mornings," the letter continued, "there won't be many train, as most of them hit the mountain in the afternoon and at night. One you'll probably see every day you're out is WC3, which usually gets into Wolf Creek around 9 am or so. You'll recognize this train by the long string of tanker cars on the rear. There is usually a Zigzag train called for 6am out of Wolf Creek, which should be starting up the mountain around the same time. Intermodal train #16 is usually out just ahead of the zigzag, and other trains like empty coal trains can show up at any time. Other than that, unless something is running late there isn't much going on. Take care of yourselves, enjoy your hike, and I'll be looking for you trackside."

It was interesting that James was up for the trip. I'd never seen him as a closet railfan, but evidently my interest in trains had spurred him to take a greater interest in his line of work. He'd started paying closer attention to the trains themselves as they passed him, and had recently started asking me questions about them. Added to that, he had been showing up on train night occasionally to run with us. I was glad, and a little flattered at the influence I was having on those around me.

With Shavonda and Shaunice getting ready for the reunion, I wound up taking my shower and getting dressed in the outfit Shavonda had packed for me, black dress pants with a red collared shirt she'd bought for the occasion, and a black tie. When I came down the stairs, Mom and Althea stared. "You look nice," Mom said. She could count on one hand the number of times she'd seen me in a tie.

A little while later, Shavonda and Shaunice made their appearance. Shavonda wore a red sleeveless dress, cut to thigh length, that showed her cleavage off nicely. She also wore a set of matching heels that showed off her pretty feet nicely, along with an ankle bracelet. "DO you remember this outfit, Jason?" she asked.

"No," I said, "But you like a goddess."

"Funny you should say that," she laughed. "That's exactly what you said the first time you saw me in this dress. It's what I wore on our first date. It's a little tight in the chest, but I can still get into it."

Shaunice wore a similar outfit, but in blue. I'd never really seen her dressed up like this before, and she was almost as beautiful as Shavonda. You could tell they were sisters.

We had a quick bite to eat with the family before climbing in the Liberty for the trip over the mountains to the reunion. It was being held in the fire hall in the small town of Union, the county seat and the location of Monroe County High School. As we pulled into the parking lot, Shaunice got indignant.

"Awwww, HELL no!" she sputtered. "A fire hall? For real? What kinda bullshit is this? They couldn't find a nice restaurant or banquet hall?"

I turned around in my seat as Shavonda gave her the evil eye. "Do you realize where we are?" I asked. This is the largest town in the county and it has less than 600 people. There is no banquet hall close unless you count the Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs."

"That would be much better," Shaunice said, obviously familiar with the famous hotel. "A 5-star hotel with a ballroom? Now we're talking."

"For a class reunion where maybe 25 people will show up?" I asked. "Do you realize what that'd cost? No, they held this reunion in the only practical place nearby."

We got out of the Jeep and walked in the door, me with my long, braided tail and a beautiful black woman on each arm. The lady at the registration table looked up at me in surprise. "Hi Misty," I said. "I have tickets for two, but I need to pay for this lovely lady." I motioned to Shaunice as Shavonda retrieved our tickets from her purse. Paying for Shaunice's admission, I continued, "I'd like you to meet my wife Shavonda, and her sister Shaunice. Ladies, this is Misty Holmes. She was class president."

We entered the hall, decorated with banners welcoming the class of 99, and quickly found an empty table. Since the cost of the tickets included an open bar and a buffet, we went for food and drinks. Surprisingly, they had both rum and Dr Pepper, so I was happy. Damn you, Shavonda, for getting me hooked on the stuff. At the buffet, they had a choice of chicken, pulled pork, or beef brisket. Though I sampled all three, the brisket was what I liked best, returning for seconds. They also had some sort of pasta dish, and various sides to round out the meal.

Eating at the table, we were soon joined by others whose curiosity was stirred by the sight of two sexy ebony goddesses in an otherwise all white get together. They would stop by, introduce themselves, and chat for a little bit before moving on. A few people never approached us, content to stare from across the room. It really didn't bother me, having gotten used to peoples' reaction to a mixed couple over the past two years.

But soon, some of my old friends drifted over, and they stayed at the table rehashing old times. First was Mike Callahan, who was a budding scientist like me. Where I was fascinated by geology and natural sciences, he had been fascinated by chemistry. I remembered his experiments with electrolysis of salt water, which resulted in the production of a test tube of chlorine gas. He'd brought the test tube to school one day, releasing it in Algebra class in 8th grade. The room was evacuated while the school officials tried to find the source of the gas leak. They never did, and Mike's secret was safe with me.

Jim Brody had also found us. Since he already knew Shavonda, he concentrated on getting to know Shaunice. She sat spellbound as he regaled her with tales of our adventures in the mountains, including our ill-fated attempt at hopping freight trains.

A dark haired slightly chubby woman walked up to us, stopping directly in front of me. "Jason Waite," she exclaimed, with a smile on her face. "Who are these ladies?" I introduced her to Shavonda and Shaunice.

"Marcia Bell," Shavonda turned to me, "Is she the one who was your first?" Shaunice looked at me with interest while Marcia blushed.

"Yes," I replied, "She's the one who trained me." I laughed.

Turning to Marcia, my wife said, "Thank you so much for breaking him in for me. But you're not getting him back." She laughed, flashing that wide smile.

"Jason, I never would have thought you'd go that way," Marcia said. "Your wife is beautiful, but I don't think I could do something like that. I couldn't date someone of a different race. Not that I am condemning you. You two are very brave to do, and obviously you love each other. But I don't think I could do it myself."

"You already have," I said. "You've already had sex with a man of a different race." I watched her jaw drop as the others looked on with interest.

"No I haven't," Marcia protested. "What makes you so sure I have?"

"I am part Seneca," I replied. "Why do you think I've worn my hair in a tail all these years?"

Marcia looked carefully at my face, studying it for a minute. "Well, I'll be damned," she said. "I never noticed it before, but now that you mention it....." She let her words trail off.

After that, we all caught up on the things we'd done with our lives. Mike had gotten a job as a chemist for the city of Roanoke, where he monitored water quality. Marcia had recently gotten a divorce, and was trying to raise three children on her own while working for the Greenbrier resort. I was pleased to hear they were all doing reasonably well, and that they had been able to find decent jobs within a couple hours of their homes.

We were all seated around the table, carrying on a lively discussion. I had my back to the door, when I saw Shavonda stop in mid-sentence. She motioned with her eyes. I turned around and looked at the tall black woman making her way toward us. She wore a nice green blouse and skirt that accentuated her curves nicely. Her hair had been done up with bronze highlights that accentuated her dark skin tone, almost as dark as Shavonda's. She'd certainly filled out since I'd seen her last, so long ago. "Tamika Pritchard," I smiled broadly. "So good to see you. This is my wife Shavonda, and her sister Shaunice."

"I saw a couple of sistas, and I had to come over to see who they were." Tamika laughed. "I knew somebody had to bring them here. I was the only one in our class, so they had to be somebody's guest. I should have known you'd be involved."

Turning to Shavonda, she continued. "I hope you're not offended, but I had such a crush on this boy growing up."

"I can understand why," Shavonda said. "I have this incredible crush on him now."

"Jason, I was hoping you'd be here," Tamika said. "I wanted to thank you for what you did for me in school."

"What did I do?" I said. "I mean we were lab partners in the science classes, but I was nothing special."

"Yes, you were," Tamika replied. "There was a reason you were my lab partner. I picked you. Nobody understood the classes like you did. Plus, you always treated me with respect."

"That may be so, but if I understood the subject so well why wasn't I valedictorian?"

"Because you wouldn't follow their rules," Tamika answered. "I remember the day in history class when you had the argument with Mr. Hopkins. He yelled at you for not turning in homework. You asked him why. He told you it was to help you learn better. You told him you were already scoring in the mid-90s on every test he gave, so obviously you were learning the material in class, so why did you need to do homework. I'll never forget the look on his face, and that he couldn't answer you. Everybody was watching to see what he said. And he said nothing."

"I still failed his class," I said. "That argument dragged down my GPA quite a bit."

"Yes, but you stood your ground and took the bad grade rather than give in. You caused him a lot of grief. And I loved you for it. You had a way of explaining things that most teachers never have. And I know because of your patience I aced a lot of classes I shouldn't have."

"Did you know he had a crush on you?" Shavonda asked.

"Really?" Tamika looked surprised. "I knew he was smart. But I also noticed he was awkward, dropping things when he was around me. I wish I'd have known. No disrespect to you, Shavonda, but I would have done anything for him back in school. Enn-E-thing." Tamika drew out the word for emphasis. Shavonda smiled. She understood that Tamika posed no threat to her.

"If I'd known the feelings were mutual, I'd have asked you out," I said. "But to be honest, I wouldn't have been ready for an interracial relationship back then. I still actually cared what people would say. Now obviously I don't, but I did back then. I didn't agree with what people said, but it would have hurt to know they said it."

"I didn't have that luxury," Tamika said sadly. "In case you haven't noticed, there aren't a lot of us around these parts. And the few that are around are all my relatives. So, I'd either have had to date outside my race, or move away."

"So, what you end up doing?" Shavonda asked. The rest of the table looked on in interest. "Did you go white? Or did you move away?"

"Both," Tamika said with a smile. "I moved away to get my nursing degree, and in school I met the most wonderful man. He reminds me a lot of you, Jason, the way he is sweet and respects me for who I am not what I am. We've been married ten years now, and we live in Maryland just east of Baltimore." She motioned toward the slender white man with a buzz cut coming towards us. "Allan went to get me a drink." She turned to her husband. "Allan, this is Jason I told you about, guess who he married." She laughed, pointing to Shavonda. "That's Shavonda, Jason's wife, and her sister Shaunice. I was telling them how we now live near Baltimore."