The Night Rhythm

Some things  that  go bump in the night aren’t always a  bad thing.  I learned that the day I moved into my house two years ago. The winding staircase in the middle of the living room was always my favorite place to sit and think and wait. I sat there on this cold December day  three days before Christmas and thought of all the things that I needed to do. I would like to think that I had gotten used to death but I would be lying to myself. Death is something that I will never get used to. And the aftermath of Gram-Gram’s death was something that was more devastating than I could ever imagine. I was being forced to leave Gram-Gram’s house by my sinister jealous sister. 

My Gram-Gram would tell me that some women were more than a beautiful butterfly unveiling their wings in the darkness where only someone who is not afraid of the darkness can see them. I felt like I was in the darkness for far too long. 

“Kumasi, why are you just sitting there?” I heard a voice ask from over my shoulder.

“I don’t know. I thought this would be the best place to sit. You know that I have always sat here even when I was a little girl.” I answered back.

I spent many years sitting on my Gram-Gram’s steps and running up and down these same steps playing tag with my sister and cousins which drove my Gram-gram crazy. I knew that my Gram was always with me even today. 

“But, Kumasi, you are a grown woman now and dare I say it an old woman or okay middle aged woman. I know how you hate to be called old.” The voice continued.

“Gram-Gram, I agree with you this time. I am an old woman. At least that is how I feel today. I feel old and helpless. You know that I didn’t want to leave Gram-Gram but well, you know what happened.” 

“Yes, I do. I warned that this was going to happen but as usual you didn’t pay much attention to what your Gram-Gram had to say. And apparently nobody else did either. But, I told you that you would all remember what I said one day.” Gram said.

“I wish I had listened and I wish I had not trusted her. I didn’t think that my own sister would do this to me. Not after all I did to help her over the years.” I said, staring straight ahead. A tear flowed down my cheek. Dang it. 

“Kumasi, you will get through it. You are strong like me. Just remember to do the right thing and that I always love you.” Gram-Gram said.

The phone vibrated and I looked down at my lap at the caller ID. It was my best friend, Shay.

“Hey, K, what’s up?” Shay asked in a louder voice than necessary.

“I’m just sitting here on the steps.” I answered.

I took a deep breath and put the phone on speaker, crossed my legs and prepared myself for her next question. I knew what it was before it came out of her mouth.

“You haven’t been talking to your dead Gram-Gram again have you?” Shay asked.

“No, I am just sitting on the steps. Can’t I sit on the steps and not have you ask me if I am talking to dead people?” I lied. 

“You can. But, I know you, K, and I know that ninety-nine percent of the time when you sit on the steps you are talking to your Gram-Gram. So, what did she tell you from beyond the grave this time?” Shay asked.

“Shay it is not like that. She doesn’t give me advice from beyond anything. And didn’t I just tell you that I was not talking to her?” I said taking a sip of water from my bottle.

“You did. But, I know that you are lying. But, anyway, when is moving day? You know that I got your back and I will help you and also get Alex, that lazy bum, to help you. Although, you know he will ask for money to help which I think is a ridiculous family asking for money.” Shay said.

“I will let you know. The paperwork should be done in a few days, a couple of weeks at most.” I said, exhaling. 

“Well, you know I hate what is happening to you. I wish my sister would pull something like what yours did to you.” Shay said.

“Yeah, Shay I know.  But, what can I say? It’s all almost over and I guess it is time for me to move on. Of course, what choice do I have now huh? Well, let me get off this phone. I have to finish packing up the kitchen and I will call you back later.” I said I was ready to push the end call button.

“Okay. But, call me after 8 pm cause I have a date. You know, Richard? I told you about him. He’s pretty boring and only talks about himself and his job but hey he’s taking me out to dinner and I figured why not get a free meal. That’s the least I can get for listening to his boring conversation for an hour or two.” Shay said laughing.

“Shay, why do you even go out with him if he is so boring?” I asked

“I just told you for the free dinner.” Shay responded.

“Shay, you are a mess. Bye.” I pushed the end call button. 

My sister, Sundra and I  are what you would probably call now Friend-enemies. We didn’t start off that way. Growing up she was the baby sister and I was the oldest sister. We had a brother, Frank who was the oldest of all of us. When Frank turned 18 he joined the Army. He wanted to serve his country and leave home. I have to say I really couldn’t blame him much. After mom and dad got divorced, home was never the same and neither was Sundra. Mom used to dote on her and she got everything she wanted and in our mom’s eyes she could do no wrong. I think that is where my mom went wrong with that girl and that only gave her a sense of entitlement. We weren’t rich or privileged but let my sister tell it she would say that she was. I honestly don’t know where she got that from and it is like we grew up in separate households when she tells her story. Sundra had long brown hair like our mother. She was petite and had our mother’s complexion, light brown, and our father’s face. Sundra couldn’t stand when people said she looked just like our dad and I looked like our mom. But, it was true. I was the taller one and slim like both of our parents. My hair was long and as black as the night sky. I had a crooked smile like dad and wore braces for the duration of six years. Sundra was blessed with a straight smile and perfect teeth. She was also blessed with the gift of gab as they say. She could charm a snake and she did. The snake she charmed was her husband, Rob. She met him in college. She was in college and he was just hanging around the college campus trying to charm the girls. 

Sundra noticed him lurking around by the art room where she took her art class and she asked if he was a student. He lied and said that he was but he was only enrolled in two classes because he worked at the nearby car wash and on his days off he took classes. Sundra talked to him until her class began and the next day he picked her up from the house and they had their first of many dates. Exactly 6 months to the day Sundra came running inside the house, barely closing the door, dropping her books on the kitchen table and calling out for our mom. She flashed a small engagement ring on her finger and informed us that she would be getting married in June. She was going to be a June bride and that she needed to start planning the wedding the next day.

Mom and dad planned while Sundra spent as much money as she could on everything that she could. She didn’t care that mom and dad each had to take out personal loans to pay for her glamorous wedding nor did she care that I couldn’t afford the expensive bridesmaid dress that she picked out and made everyone pay for themselves. I had to work overtime to pay for mine. 

The honeymoon was over for Sundra when she found out that Rob had been cheating on her from almost day one. She kicked him out of the house several times but she always took him back when he came back with his heart in his hands begging for a second, third, fourth, and so on. It was as plain as day that she was not going to divorce him ever. That is about the time our relationship became almost non existent. Rob was her sun, moon and stars and she believed that her world revolved around him and only him. They had two kids together and of course they were in private school because Rob had slept with the principal which miraculously pushed their names to the top of the wait  list.

When Gram-gram died I was in my 40’s and never married and never had any children. I never really wanted neither, a husband or children. I was perfectly happy with my career and my yellow lab who was always happy to see me when I got home.

Right before Gram-Gram's funeral Sundra called me. I hesitated to answer. I knew that it would be all bad and we hadn't talked much since our mom died three years ago.

“Hey sis. I wanted to tell you that I have some papers about Gram-Gram that I need you to sign.” Sundra said trying to sound like it was no big deal.

“What kind of papers and don’t call me Sis. You know I hate that.” I said,

“Oh it is just some legal papers. I want to get it taken care of now before everything starts.” She explained.

“Sundra, I am not going to sign anything. We haven’t even had the funeral yet and you are already talking about papers.” I said. 

“Look, I am just trying to get things done. I will bring the papers to your house later today if that is okay and you can just sign them and we can move forward.” Sundra tried to say in a sweet voice.

“You know that you can’t afford the mortgage and I am trying to help you. Just sign the papers and I can take over the house payments and you can pay me rent.” She continued.

“You must have lost what is left of your mind. I will not be signing anything. I will see you in court. I know that is where your greed will take us.” I clicked the end call button.

Gram left me the house and my sister told me in no uncertain terms that she thought she was entitled to the house since she was the youngest and she was the one that took Gram to most of her doctor’s appointments. I told her in no uncertain terms how crazy that sounded.  And her sense of entitlement had gone to a new level of stupidity.

I heard pots and pans rattling in the kitchen the night.I knew that it was Gram-Gram. Her spirit was there. I went into the kitchen and my dog, Millie, followed. The pots were on the stove where I left them and so was the wooden spoon I used earlier when I stirred the pasta. I smiled and went back to bed and blew a kiss to the heavens.

For the next several months every night in the kitchen the pots and pan rattled and sometimes the light would turn on and off. Shay stayed with me one night and she was scared out of her mind. I told her that it was just Gram-Gram saying good night. She rolled her eyes and pulled the covers tight to her chest and asked if Gram-Gram could find another way that was less scary. 

The court dates with Sundra were the worst. She contested the will as I knew that she would. She also did something unspeakable. Before Gram’s death she convinced Gram to take out a second mortgage on the house. I don’t know how she did it but I guess she used that charm on her.   We battled in court and out of court for several months. Sundra wanted all the books in the house, the red couch which belonged to Gram-Gram’s sister before she passed away. She wanted the TV in Gram’s room which she boasted about buying for her for her birthday. Her sense of entitlement was really starting to get on my nerves. 

A few months later what was left of Gram-Grams stuff and my stuff were all loaded in a big moving truck which Shay had convinced her brother to drive for free. This chapter of my life was over and I was more than ready to start a new one. My sister might have forced me out of our Gram-Grams house with her greediness and sense of entitlement but this butterfly was ready to emerge from the darkness into the light. 

“Bye Gram-Gram.” I whispered as I closed the door one last time and removed the Sold sign from the front yard.