UNDER THE WINGS OF ANGEL

BY Lisa Ann Milner

There I was, standing next to momma, with my little baby brother laying her lap; as he stood over us holding that gun in his hands. He was drunk again and this time is he was pointing his gun at us; I, momma, baby Joel. Baby Joel didn’t know what was going on, and he just laid there in mommas’ arms, sucking on his bottle of milk. But then I think he knew that something bad was about too happened, because he starting crying. Then he started screaming and cussing about how he was gonna kill us all, if we leave him. I kept wishing that an angel would come and strike him dead. But, nothing happened, except for his sister Ruth stood up and ran over to him and tried to grab the gun, as they were fighting over it; the gun when off and they both dropped it on the floor. I was going to grab, but Ruth got it first and then looked around to see where the bullet went. It landed in the wall, just above where I had been standing. Both she and my mother let out a shout"Oh, Lawd!".

My mother spanked my hands and told to never touch a gun again, it was nothing to play with and that it was time for me to go to bed. I said "No! I don’t want to leave with the bad man." She said, "He’s not a bad man, he’s just drunk and mad because he lost his job." I said, "If, he wasn’t so drunk, he probably wouldn’t have lost his job." My mother slapped me in the mouth and told me to go to bed. I was about to say something, then Ruth grabbed my hands and said" Come on, let them talk with your Uncle Silas." I said, "He’s not my Uncle, he’s your Uncle." Ruth said "No, he’s my brother and your uncle, as soon as your mother and my brother ever get married to each other."

"MARRIED!" I said "Oh, no, they can never get married, he’s a mean man. My mother will never marry him."

I need to think, what can I do to make sure that doesn’t happen. Then Ruth, helped me put on my pajamas, then she put in the bed. I could still hear the three of them in there shouting, baby Joel, Silas, and him.

I asked Ruth if I could say my prayers, first. She said yes. I could and that she would say them with me. We both got down on the floor besides my bed and started praying: "Lord, please look over my momma and baby Joel. , I don’t care about me; as long as they are all right, okay. And, Lord please makes the bad man go away and find a job somewhere else. Lord, let us go live with Big Momma, she loves us and wants us to live with her in her big house. Oh, yeah, thank your Lord for making that gun bullet go over my head. But, why didn’t you let hit the bad man instead. Oh, well, Big Momma says that you know what you are doing and that I ought to not ask why you do the things you do. But help now, will you. Oh, yeah, look after everybody else, too. Okay. Amen." Then I climbed back into my bed and Ruth pulled the covers over me and kissed me on the cheek and walked over and turned out the light and closed the door. "Oh, Ruth?" I said. "Yes, baby?" Ruth replied: " Will you leave the door opened just a bit so I can see a little light?" I answered. "Yes, baby, I will." She said as she walked out. She left a little crack in the doorway. I laid there, barely hearing everything they were saying, then I drifted off to sleep.

"Whack!" I heard a sound, I jumped up from my bed and it was he again and this time he was hitting something. I ran out of my bedroom and saw they were fighting, my mom and him. I looked around and there was no one else around. So, I went into the kitchen and grabbed the kitchen phone and dailed "0' and the operator came on": Police, Fire Or Ambulance, please." I said "The policeman! This bad man is trying to kill my momma and baby brother Joel, hurry, please." I cried. "She said what is he."I dropped the phone. I was cold outside and I had no shoes on, but I didn’t care. I had to get someone to help my mother. I ran over to Big Mommas house hoping that cousin Derrick was there. I got there, and I was tried and cold. I banged on the door, shouting "Big Momma, Cousin Derrick, Big Momma, help, he’s trying to kill us . . . " The porch light turned on and Big Momma opened the door and grabbed me in the house. She looked back out the door and asked "Where is your mother, child?" "He has her, the bad man." I said. "What bad man?" She asked. "You know, Leon . . . " I said, I out huffing and puffing hard and really tired, but I didn’t care, my momma needs help quickly.

Big Momma, hollered for Derrick."Derrick, come out here, boys and go see about April, she’s in trouble."

Derrick, came running out of his room, putting on his shirt. "I shouted him, have a gun and he shot at me and missed and he . . . " Big Momma said "Now, now, you’re okay, you’re here, now. I’ll call the police "

"I already called the police before I came here, the police lady started asking too many question, so I left and came here, I knew you would know what to do."I said. "Big Momma?" I said. "Yes, baby?" She said."Why does Leon have to act like that all the time?" I asked her. She said, "Sometimes hard drinks make a man act out in a wrong way. Children where are your shoes, come on her and let me wash your feet and put some socks on."

I followed her into the bathroom, just before I watch Derrick, turn the corner in his car. Big Momma, was wearing her favorite yellow long gown with flowers on it and had her old panties wrapped around her head. She looked funny. The water was hot and she had that old lye soap and she set down on the toilet seat and put me on her lap and started to wash my feet. I was only six years old, but my legs were already long. Long enough to where I could still touch the pink shaggy rug, she had around the toilet with my feet. Then she put on some of my socks that I had left over from the last time I was here. Then she grabbed my hand and we walked into the kitchen and she grabbed the teapot and put some water in it and then put it on the stove and turned the stove on. "I’m going to make you some hot cocoa, so you can get the cold off of your child." She said. Then she walked over to me and helped me up on the tall stool at the counter, even though I was tall, I still wasn’t tall enough to get on top on that stool, just yet. RING! RING! RING! , The telephone rang as she walked over to it. "Yes, hello . . . okay. The police are there?" She said. I jumped off the stool and ran over to her. "What’s happening, did the policeman, get Leon? What’s happening, are they . . . "I said? "Hush, children, I can’t hear." Big Momma said. I stood there rocking my head back and forth, wanting to know what is happening. I turned to go to the door and Big Momma grabbed me and said" Be still child." " Can I talk to momma, is she okay?" Big Momma looked down at me with that LOOK, so I got still and quiet. "Huhuh, okay, so, they’re taking him to jail. Good, okay how’s April and the baby, Huhuh, okay wells tell her, that Angela is over here and I’ll keep her tonight and you can bring back in the morning. Are you sure that April is all right?

Did he hurt her or the baby? Did you see any bullet holes or anything like that, where? Oh, Lawd! Thank Jesus! Well, ask her if, she and the baby want to come over here tonight? Well tell her if she wants to come here, she knows she can. This is her home, too. Okay, well after you make sure she’s okay and the baby, come on home and go back to bed. Okay, Thank you, baby." She turns and looks over at the cross of Jesus on the wall and it looked like she was saying a prayer."What happened? What happened, did he go to jail? Is he in jail forever and ever? Are we going to move here with you?" I asked you eagerly. Woo, Woo, the sound was coming from the kitchen. "Oh, the teapot" Big Momma said as she ran towards the kitchen, I followed her. Sure enough that big copper teapot was just blowing away. Big Momma grabbed the hot towel and grabbed the pot and poured some water into my big cup that I made over at Auntie Pat’s pottery shop last summer. Then she got the cocoa and put a big spoon into it and pull out some and dropped it into my cup and stirred it then she opened the refrigerator and opened the freezer door and grabbed a couple of ice cubes and dropped them into my hot cocoa. I couldn’t wait for it, after the ice melted, she then grabbed the cinninamon and put another spoon into it and pull out just a little bit and dropped it into my cup. That added to the smell of cocoa. Oh, the smell was so strong, sweet and chocolate with a hint of cinnamon in it. "Can I have some marshmallows on top, please? " I asked her. "Yes, baby, in a minute . . . " She reached and grabbed the telephone again. She didn’t even remember to help get on top on the stool again, I thought to myself. So, I walked over to the counter and reached and just barely grab the jar with the marshmallows in them and grabbed a hand full of them and set them on the counter and then put the lid back on it and put it back into place. I then walked over to my cup on the breakfast counter and dropped the marshmallow into the cup. I then walked over to the hallway and grabbed the little step, that Big Momma always uses to reach stuff on the top shelves of her cabinets. I put it next to the stool and climbed up on it and set down on the stool. I could see that the marshmallows were starting to melt some. I pulled the cup over closer to me, oh the smell was intoxicating, I couldn’t resist any longer, I had to have some now! . I sipped the cup, OUCH, IT"S HOTTT, Big Momma, I burned my tongue! Big Momma, it hurts! Big Momma, oh, it hurts, I cried out. I was blowing on my tongue and waving it with my hands when Big Momma came in. "Child, what did you, Lawd helps this child, she’s gonna kill her fool self one day." Big Momma said as she went to the freezer and grabbed some ice cubes. She put one in my mouth and set the others on a saucer. "Here suck on this until it hurts no more. And don’t drink anything until you see no more steam coming up from it okay. " She said as she shook her head and looked back up at heaven again. She dropped some more ice in my cup, just before she left out the kitchen. I grab another ice and put it on my tongue, it was still hurtin’.

Soon, there was hardly any steam coming from my cup, I dipped my finger in it, really slowed. It was warm to the touch, so I smiled and sucked the cocoa off my finger. I grabbed the cup with both hands and drank it down, the marshmallow was on my top lip, as I tried to lick it off. Oh, it was so good, I thought as I wiped my mouth with my sleeve.

Big Momma, finally came back in and picked up the step and put it back in the corner in the hall. Then she grabbed me and said "Come on, babies you need to be sleeping in bed, now, You’ve been up too long. But first you need a quick bath and some clean clothes." So, she leads me into the bathroom again and reached over and started up the water."But, Big Mommie, I already had a bath." I told her. "Not, since you were over here honeying." She replied. "But, I don’t want to take a bath now." I wined. "Hush, children, before you get a spankin’." She answered. I gave in, as she took my gown off and put me in the tub, the water did feel good, though. She baths me and then died I off and wrapped the towel around me and we walked into the other bedroom and she opened the drawer and pull out some underwear and a T-shirt and set them on the bed. Then she reached over on top on the dresser and grabbed some lotion and rubbed it all over my body then she gave me my underwear then the T-shirt. Then she motioned for me to get on the floor with her, we both got down there and started praying. Big Momma, said the prayer this time. "Lawd, thank you very much for gettin’ this child of yours here safely and for watching over her mother and baby brothers. Lawd, work on Leon, helps him to see what he is doing is wrong and let nothing happen to him." Happen to him! I said to myself. , But Big Momma continued on."Lawd, he means well, he just doesn’t know any better. Help him. Continue to put your lovin’ arms around this family and help us all to grow in your name. Amen." She said, then she kissed me and hugged me and then helped me into the bed. As she was putting the covers up on me, I asked her " Big, Momma, how come you asked Jesus to help Leon?" "Well, baby, you always have to ask the Lawd for help for people who don’t know. Him to know. Him. He, didn’t come here for the ones that already know. Him, he came for the ones who don’t know. He and we have to make sure that everyone knows. Him, it’s our duty. No, go to sleep. Big Momma will be in, in the morning to wake you up. Okay. Good night." She says as she turns off the lights and turns on the night light. I could hear he walking down the hall. Then I could hear Cousin Derrick’s car coming back, I got up and looked out the window. He saw me and threw a kiss at me and mouth the words "Everything is all right." I nodded my head back at him and threw a kiss at him and closed the curtain. As I climbed into the bed, I told myself I would never have a boyfriend that drinks a strong drink, if it makes you, act like that.

"Angela!" I heard my name called. "Angela, honey; it’s time to get up." It was Big Momma’s voice. I could smell bacon cooking all the way in my bedroom. I set up and saw that she had put some clothes and tennis shoes out for me to wear; so, I hurried up and put them on. "Angela, you woke yet?" She asked. "Yes, mam, I said. "I’m putting on my clothes, right now." I said as I was tying my shoes. Then I got up and pulled the covers up to the pillows and put the pillows back on top on the covers, because Big Momma doesn’t like for your bed to be messy.

I came down the hall smelling the bacon and it smelled like pecan pancakes and hot maple syrup. I hurried to the kitchen, trying not to run, because Big Momma didn’t like that either.

It was, bacon, pecan pancakes, and hot maple syrup. I walked over to her and she leaned down and gave me a kiss on the lips. And talked me over to the stool and as she lifted me up she said."A good morning baby, how did you sleep?" I said "Okay, I slept like a baby, just like baby Joel does all the time." I was really hungry. "Big Momma, can I have another pancake, two won’t be enough today, I could probably eat more than that. I’m sure hungry this morning." I asked her. "Baby, you can have as much as you want, but first you must eat what you already have on your plate. You know we don’t waste food around here." Big Momma said with a smile on her face.

"Well, looky here, we have a hero still in the house with us, this morning." Said cousin Derrick, as he came into the kitchen and rubbed my head. "Good morning, kid." He continued on. I looked at him and asked: " Who’ the hero, I want to meet the hero. " I said as I looked around, not seeing anyone. He laughed at me and said: "Hey, baby girl; I’m talking about you, you’re the hero."

I was confused and asked him: "How can I,be a hero, I don’t have a cape or special powers or anything like that. What did I do?" He said: " Just by what you did, calling the police, then running all the way over here in the dark and cold." "And with no shoes or coat on herself." Big Momma added. "Sorry." I said.

"Ah, let her go this time momma, she did good. She probably saved her momma and baby brother’s life last night." he said as he rubbed my head again.

I set there all happy as, I thought about that. I even did a happy dance in my chair.Then I went back to eating my pecan pancakes.

Life was good once again.

The End