Big Daddy Comes back

Sitting in the middle of her bedroom floor, Raven McIntyre appeared to be in some of trance.

“What is she doing?” Christina McIntyre, Raven’s mom, asked her husband, as they both stood out in the hallway, peeking at their youngest daughter.

“Well, I thought she was doing her yoga, but she has not moved … you don’t think she is stuck in that position, do you?” Jeffery McIntyre asked his wife in a stage whisper – knowing Raven could hear him.

Though her eyes remained closed, a slight smile appeared on Raven’s face. “Neither one of you knows how to whisper do you?” She asked as she peeked at her parents with one eye.

“What are you doing?” Christina asked walking to her daughter’s doorway. Jeffery asked, “Are you stuck?”

Raven stood up, “I was doing my quiet time meditation … It is one of the silly things that my therapist said I should do each morning before I go walk. It is supposed to center you or something.” She put a ponytail holder in the back of her long, auburn hair, while standing at the dresser.

Pulling down the tail of her oversized white-tshirt that had the image of Grover - one of the puppets from Sesame Street on it, Raven looked up at her mom. "Can you see through it?"

Christina shook her head. "It goes well with your black shorts ... though your crazy-colored tennis shoes make a statement all their own."

Raven laughed to herself. "Yeah, yeah."

“Well, you do whatever Joanie tells you to do … as long as it keeps you in this good place, good frame of mind, that is all that matters.” Jeffery gestured an imaginary box with her hands.

Christina laughed, “Well, since you are in a good place. Will you take the garbage out before you go walk?” He walked toward his own room down the hall.

Raven said, “Yes sir.” She brushed out her bangs and watched her mom follow her dad. She smiled. Her parents were the best. They had been married 40 something years, and were in their early 60s.

A few months ago, Raven had a nervous breakdown of sorts – stress related and due to some health issues. She had just turned 28, and was working at a major television station in Dallas, when she told her dad, “It felt like something came and vacuumed me into a big hole.”

He told her to come home. They got her into treatment. She was diagnosed with severe anxiety, and it was embarrassing for her. As a Christian, Raven felt like having this issue was a black mark on her life as a Christ follower.

But then they found Joanie, a Christian therapist, and Joanie told her, “God wants us to feel these feelings and go through these things, because it builds character and helps us get closer to Him, and His true purpose for us.”

Joanie had been leading a Bible study by Henry Blackaby called ‘Experiencing God’ and encouraged Raven to take part in it. So, she was.

Plus, she was exercising daily, eating three meals a day, sticking to a routine, and was writing more – something she hadn’t done in a while.

Her best friend from high school, Matteo, had given her a job – she was his marketing manager and handled all the promotions – social media and more – for four of his restaurants, and that meant she could set her own hours and work from home.

Raven reached down and tied her New Balance tennis shoes, and headed down the stairs. She could hear her parents talking in their bedroom. “I am gone.” She put her phone in her pocket, and plugged in her headset so she could listen to the radio.

Grabbing the bag of trash near the back door, Raven noticed something on top of the washer. Her heart stopped for a minute. It was her grandfather’s old fishing hat. She reached over, and felt of it, smiling at a memory that flashed through.

Her grandfather, Silas McIntyre, and Raven had a close relationship. Last year, at the age of 80, Silas had gone fishing at the river, and his boat had capsized, and Silas’ body was never recovered. It was hard saying good-bye, and really saying he was dead, but everyone knew that is what happened.

Raven walked outside, shutting the door, and walked the trash to the can by the end of the driveway. She noticed one of their neighbors outside, and waved. Slipping her bandanna over her mouth and nose, Raven started on her walk.

The whole country was under siege – a virus had overtaken the world – making people sick and many had died. Raven’s older sister was a physician’s assistant working in the emergency room at a major hospital in Houston, and saw the craziness of the virus first hand. Dana would text Raven and tell her, “It is really bad here.”

One of the preventative measures people took were to wear masks in public. When Raven walked, she didn’t wear her mask but she would cover her face with a bandanna – you never knew.

Most people would work from home or isolate themselves to just keep healthy. Two of Raven’s dad’s cousins had died from it, and another, had a pre-exisiting condition, but the COVID-19 had escalated problems for her, so she was in ICU.

Raven’s mom’s parents had passed away within six months of each other about five years ago. Big Daddy died last year.

So, Raven’s dad’s mom was the only living grandparent left- but Little Mama was strong. She was in her 80s, and lived alone – about five miles down the road from Raven and her folks.

As part of her walk, Raven would walk to Little Mama’s and then come back home. Since the virus started, she would not go in at Little Mama’s but she would stand out in the yard, and talk to her grandmother, who would sit on the porch and give Raven a bottled water. They kept their distance from each other.

So, she started toward her grandmother’s on her usual route, which was a straight shot, but for some reason, when she came to the turn to go through the residential area, she decided that is what she was going to do.

Raven said into her microphone on her headset, “Call Little Mama.” The phone dialed and you could hear the ringing. “Hello?” “Little Mama, I am taking a detour, so it might take me a little longer to get there.” “OK, be careful.” “Yes mam. See you in a bit.” “Ok, honey, bye.”

Raven was thinking about her grandfather - Big Daddy. He was a quiet man – very humble and had this zen like focus whenever he was working – when he was not retired, he did plumbing work, and on the side he farmed. His vegetables and fruit were the most sought after in the county. No one could ever explain why – but folks just said his stuff tasted better – especially his scuppernogs and blueberries and peanuts.

She smiled, and licked her lips. It was as if she could smell the peanuts boiling from his shop. Big Daddy could put together a peanut boil in a jiffy. There would be sweet tea or bottle of, as he said, “pop.” Dr. Pepper was his drink of choice, other than coffee. Her grandfather was a good guy, and always seemed to help ease her anxieties.

Raven waited at the stop sign for cars to go through before she continued walking. Mandisa's newest single, “You Keep Hope Alive,” streamed through her headset.

Seeing her shoelace had come untied, Raven stopped at a bench near the gate of the gated community, and leaned over to tie her shoe. A brand new Camry pulled up close to her, “Excuse me, do you know where 197 Gladewater Lane is?” A male’s voice asked.

Raven looked up, “Yeah, that is my grandmother’s house ...” She stopped, and rubbed her eyes.

A second man was getting out of the backseat, while the first shut the car off. One was younger – probably in his 30s, nice hair and nice smile. He got out and revealed he was wearing denim shorts and a Texas Rangers shirt and tennis shoes.

But Raven’s attention was on the older man. He was a little skinnier than she remembered, and his eyes were a little brighter. “Big Daddy.” She whispered.

“Hey Bird.” Silas McIntyre smiled, and stuck his hands in the pockets of his khaki pants after smoothing out the pull-over dark blue Izod he was wearing. He stood in the street almost across from her.

Raven sat down on the bench. She didn’t know what was going on. Her grandfather had died. They said he drowned. But there he was standing right in front of her.

She could feel her face getting hot, and the ground spinning. “Rave?” Silas rushed over, and reached out to steady her.

At the touch of her grandfather’s hands, Raven seemed to straighten up. Tears began to roll down her face. “Big Daddy?”

He held his hands out to her, and she fell into his arms, and cried for several minutes. The young man stood awkwardly near the car. Silas rubbed his granddaughter’s hair, “It is OK. It is me. I promise.”

Raven stopped crying, and caught her breath. “What in the world? Where have you been? What happened?”

“Well, I have been in the witness protection program for the last year, Bird. Remember Tony Bruno?” He asked.

Raven thought for a moment, wiping her nose on her shirt. “The guy you bought your farm equipment from?”

“Yeah, well, Tony wasn’t just selling tractors. He was a part of the New York crime syndicate. They were laundering money through his farm equipment company.” Silas sat back on the bench, still holding Raven.

“What? Are you serious?” Raven asked. At that time the young man walked over. “Yes. Your grandfather was witness to several buys and illegal laundering. I am Det. Jake Hooper.”

Raven looked at her grandpa, who had pulled his mask back up over his mouth and nose. “So you faked your death? Why?”

“It was the only way to ensure your family’s safety and his.” Det. Hooper said. He had on a mask too – a white thin one.

Raven scooted over and looked at her grandfather, and started touching him, and she rolled his sleeve. “What are you doing?” Det. Hooper asked.

“She is looking to see if I have my scar I got after driving the tractor under our big Norwegian Pine.” Silas rolled the sleeve up for her, and there it was – the scar that looked like a strawberry.

Raven hugged him again, then she poked him. “Does Little Mama know?”

Silas nodded, “She is the only one.”

Raven let out a snort, “She deserves a prize for playing the grieving widow … you should have seen her at the funeral.”

“I did. I was there. In the church balcony. I loved what you said about me and the song you and your brother sang.” Silas laughed.

Raven stood up, and shook her head, “Well, I don’t think I am going to be able to walk home now. My legs are all jiggly. So where is this Tony guy?”

Silas stood, and looked at Det. Hooper, who answered, “He was killed in an auto accident three weeks ago.”

“Will they still come after you?” Raven asked looking up at her grandpa.

He shook his head. “No. So, were you headed to my house?”

She nodded, “Yes sir. Oh, my dad and Uncle Danny are going to flip.”

They walked over to the car, and Silas opened the back door so she could get in. Raven turned around, and hugged him one more time.

“I missed you, Big Daddy. I am glad you didn’t drown.” Raven felt like all the months of stress and anxiety and worry seemed to be leaving her body as she felt her grandfather's arms around her.

Silas squeezed her in return. “Me too, Bird, me too.”