Blessings From the Father Read Online Free PDF Page A

you.”
    â€œI’ve been good.” Cassie folded her trembling hands together.
    â€œWhy don’t you stay and have dinner?” Rosemary pleaded. “Sonni bought a cheesecake. It looked good.”
    â€œI really got to go.” Cassie stood up. “One of my friends drove me over here and he’s waiting on me. Maybe next time.” She walked toward the door.
    Rosemary stood up and walked over to Cassie. Her voice was full of anguish when she asked her daughter, “Where are you living now, Cassie? Are you still living in the Garden?”
    Cassie turned around. “You know me,” she said with a dimpled smile. “I’m like the wind: here, there, and everywhere.” She wiped her dripping nose again. “Hey, I gotta go. I’ll see you next time.” She opened the door, waved, and slipped out of the house.
    Rosemary twisted the lock and returned to the living room. She sat heavily on the sofa. Her face was bowed and her arms were clasped around her body.
    Mariah stood up, walked to Rosemary, and patted her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Granny. I know how seeing Cassie upsets you.”
    Rosemary lifted her head. “You would think I would be used to Cassie’s behavior by now. But I guess I’m not.” She tried smiling and her lips twitched into a grimace.
    Mariah nodded her head. Rosemary’s life hadn’t been easy. Mostly because of her worries regarding Cassie’s drug addiction. Since she was a young child, Mariah tried to do everything in her power to make her grandmother’s life happier. Most of the time, she succeeded. Whenever Cassie visited, Rosemary would become sad and withdrawn for a couple of days afterward. Rosemary was fearful that Cassie committed crimes to support her habit, along with prostitution. Actually Rosemary was partially incorrect; Cassie wasn’t shy about selling her body for drugs. She had been living with a man for over ten years and he helped support her habit.
    â€œI wish Cassie were stronger and could get herself together.” Mariah sighed as she rubbed her grandmother’s arm.
    â€œMe too.” Rosemary exhaled loudly as she wiped a tear from her eye. “I think I’m going to pass on going with you and the girls tomorrow. I would just be in the way. You should go with your friends and enjoy yourself. Though your father wasn’t around when you were growing up, I do approve of the way he’s taken care of you in death.”
    â€œGranny,” Mariah protested. Her mouth dropped and her eyes widened in disbelief. “You would never be in the way. You’ve taken care of me my entire life. And now I’m in a position to do something for you. You’ve worked your entire life and have never taken a vacation. I don’t even think we ever went to one of the better stores to shop until I finished school and started working. We never went to the movies when I was a kid. You always washed and styled our hair on Saturday nights, so we’d look presentable for church. You sewed our clothes and now it’s time for me to give back to you. I didn’t mention this to anyone before, because I was still trying to process everything that happened. But my fa . . . father”—she stuttered a bit—“left me quite a bit of money. I mean a lot.” Her hand fluttered in the air. “His will has finally been probated and I can do what I want with the money now.”
    Rosemary twisted her hands together. She turned and looked at her granddaughter’s face. “I did what I had to do, Mari, and everything I’ve done was out of love for you. You don’t need to spend any of your money on me. Maybe you can go back to school and get your degree, if there’s enough money for that.”
    Mariah chuckled. “I could get a PhD if I wanted to, Granny. He left me enough money for that and more. I received possession of his house and other properties he