Monicha did exactly what she promised her mom and grandfather, not to bring up Matti or her father. She may have not been bringing it up, but she was researching it on her own.
“Aye sis, I’ve taken all the lights and decorations down,” Montae told her as she finished taking the Christmas Tree down. “I’m about to head out.”
“Thanks.”
“What’s up?”
“Nothing.”
Montae sat the boxes down by the door, “Mo, I know when something is wrong with you.”
She felt bad lying to her first best friend, the only one she could honestly talk to about their new revelation about their mom and her sister. “I found Sunny.”
“You did? How? Why am I asking how?”
“And, I found out something else.”
“What?”
“Our father’s parents and siblings are still alive. Sunny lives with his sister.”
“Mo just leave this alone. They know about us and haven’t cared enough to find us.”
Monicha knew he may have been right, but she needed to know for herself. The fact that they had a family out there, that they didn’t know anything about, bothered her.
At that moment, she realized she couldn’t tell him that she was going to their grandfather’s church in DC for New Year Eve’s Watch Night Services. “I hear you.”
“Good. So, what time is your flight leaving for New York?”
“At one.” They all were thinking she was spending her New Year’s Eve in New York with her friends from college.
“Well, I’m get out of here so you can get ready. Love you big sis,” he said as he gave her a hug.
“Love you too.”
Lying to her baby brother was not how she wanted to bring in the New Year. But, she felt she had to. She was going to find out about her family because she wanted to know her other half. Monicha even felt guilty when her mom dropped her off at the airport and she told her to enjoy New York. “Bring me something back,” her mom said as she closed the door.
On the flight, she kept going over all the information that she found on Sunny’s Facebook page. Sunny seemed to become a permanent part of their family. Which didn’t make sense to her, since Sunny killed her father. Her grandparents, Bishop J.O. and First Lady Geneva Ellis, Sr. She found her three aunts. Jennifer Renee, Olivia and Ophelia. In a photo Sunny was tagged in by her Aunt Jennifer Renee, were Sunny was referred to “as a sister from another mother.” None of it made any sense to Monicha.
When her flight landed, Monicha went straight to her hotel. During check-in she asked how far the church was from the hotel. “Oh my God, is it the first time you are attending one of Bishop’s Watch Night Services. Tonight, their granddaughter will be delivering the sermon.”
“Their granddaughter?”
“Yes, she’s their only grandchild. Her father was killed before she was born.”
Monicha stood there in shock because nothing on Sunny’s Facebook page revealed a daughter. At least she didn’t think so. When she got upstairs she did a search on Sunya Ellis. “How did I miss this,” Monicha said as searched through Sunny’s pictures.
It seems that Sunny was pregnant when she shot and killed Orlando and Aunt Patti.
Everything changed at that moment. Monicha debated about going to the service, but she had already decided no matter what she learned, she was going to go through with introducing herself to her family.
Around 10:30 her Uber arrived to take her to church. On the ride to church, her mom sent her text. We’ll discuss your family when you return! HAPPY NEW YEAR BABY GIRL. I didn’t know what to say after that, I just sent her three heart emojis.
When she arrived at the church, Monicha started to tell the driver to take her back to the hotel. “Enjoy your evening,” the driver told her. “I think you made it in time to get your fellowship dinner ticket.” I smiled and tipped my driver. It seemed that her grandparents church was blossoming. It was clear to her that her father’s death was no longer the talk of the town. She took a deep breath before walking in.
She was greeted at the door and given a ticket. “Is this first time joining us for service,” the usher asked.
“Yes.”
“Praise the Lord. Do you mind filling this card out? We like to keep in contact with our guest.”
She took the card and followed the usher to her seat in the guest section, that was located right behind the Ellis Sisters. Monicha was about three feet from her aunts, that were getting up to sing, as she took her sit. She scanned the crowd to see if she recognized anyone else. The first person she saw was her grandmother who was sitting in the pulpit on the right side of her sister.
There she was in the flesh. The only granddaughter they claimed or knew about. Who knew? She continued to scan the room and her eyes landed on her grandfather who was sitting on the left side of sister. Monicha was taken back at how much her brother looked like their grandfather. One more scan across the room landed her eyes on Sunny, who was seated on the front row in the middle.
Monicha eyes stayed on her for a few minutes before aunts angelic and anointed voices began to sing. She realized at that moment they were so much like their dad’s family, it was scary. Montae had the singing voice. And, Monicha looked like her Aunt Jennifer Renee who led all the songs. She smiled because she could see herself in her grandmother as well.
“Is this your first time here,” the woman next to her asked.
“It is. Is it yours?”
“No, I came last year and loved it. And, this year Evangelist Sunday is preaching. I heard her on her YouTube channel. The lady can go.”
Monicha smiled as she listened to the woman go on and on about her baby sister. It started to make sense why Sunny lived with her aunt. And, it started to dawn on her why Sunny may have not did a day in prison. She started to wonder if her mom knew that Sunny was pregnant.
After her aunts finished singing they made their way back to their seats. Then her grandmother stepped up to the podium to recognize a few guest.
“Welcome back to our sister, Robin Sykes. Wave at me Sister Robin.” The woman next to me waved as if she was Miss. America. Her grandmother called out a few more names before she said, “Sister Monicha Pride,” which came out Monica Pride. Her grandmother scanned the room waiting for her to way. It was obvious that she hadn’t caught on to her name, but the way her Aunt Jennifer Renee started looking around the room, she knew she recognized Monicha’s name. And, so did Sunny. Her grandmother thanked all the guest then took her seat.
The awkward reunion she wanted to avoid, happened. On her way down to the front to put her offering in, Sunny gave her an awkward look. Monicha headed straight for the door to leave, until her Aunt Jennifer Renee walked up beside her. “Please don’t leave, we love having you here.”
Monicha cancelled her Uber and stuffed her phone in her purse. She wasn’t sure what staying meant, but she was about to find out. After the service, her aunt took her into the choir room to get know her before they headed over to the fellowship hall.
“Oh my God, you are beautiful,” her Aunt Olivia said after she was introduced.
Jennifer Renee told Monicha that Olivia and Ophelia were only 12 when her father was killed. They weren’t aware of Monicha and her brother. So at first when Jennifer Renee told them who she was, they were taken back. But, quickly came around.
“All this time our niece and nephew were out there, and we didn’t know,” Ophelia asked.
“I know, but Patti and I decided as the aunts that keeping the kids a secret was for the best. But, I’ve kept up with you guys over the years. Patti always made sure she sent me pictures and videos.”
Monicha was stunned to hear that her mom was in contact with her dad’s sister. “You’ve talked to my mom?”
“Yeah, all the time. I promised her I would help protect you kids by moving Sunny in with me. Especially when we learned that she was pregnant with Sunday.” The awkward meeting was getting even more awkward when her Aunt Jennifer Renee said, “I’m so proud of you for purchasing your own home. You guys Monicha runs her own cybersecurity business.”
“How often do you talk to my mom?”
“At least once a month. Patti told me that you were hosting the annual Christmas Dinner. She’s so proud of you. I’m proud of you as well.”
Monicha knew her mom was hiding more than she let on. She wondered if her grandparents knew her mom was in contact with her dad’s sister. As they were getting ready to head over to the fellowship hall, Sunday knocked on the door. “Aunt J, can I come in.”
“Are we going to introduce them,” her Aunt Ophelia asked.
“No,” Jennifer Renee told them.
Monicha didn’t know how to take that, but she wasn’t about to rock the boat in the Lord’s House. Now, once she got back to her house, she was definitely going to rock the boat.
Olivia opened the door for Sunday. Up close, Monicha could see her resemblance to her sister. “Hi I’m Sunday, and you?”
“Monicha.”
“Nice to meet you.” She turned to their aunts, “We better go over to the fellowship hall before Granddad starts sending the ushers to look for us.”
To keep everyone from asking questions, Monicha decided to sit with Robin instead of joining her family at their table. Once she had her plate she sat down beside Robin.
“You have any New Year’s resolutions,” Robin asked.
“No, I don’t do resolutions,” Monicha smiled.
She made it through the fellowship dinner and went back to her hotel room without saying two words to her grandparents or Sunny. The night may have been a disaster if she talked to Sunny. Having to look the woman who killed her dad and aunt in the eyes was too much for her to take. Then she started thinking that she gave her aunts to much information about her and her brother. They asked why he didn’t come, and she didn’t have the guts to tell them that he had no idea she was coming.
The next morning, she was getting ready to head to the airport to catch her flight when she heard someone knocking at her door. Thinking it was the doorman, she opened the door without looking out first. To her surprise it was Sunny.
“Hello, Monicha.”
Monicha stood there for a moment before, she greeted Sunny.
“I was wondering if we could talk.”
A part of her said no, but her other half wanted to her what she had to say. She stepped back and invited Sunny in. Monicha even ordered coffee and fruit from room service for the two of them.
“I was surprised to see you at church last night,” Sunny said as she took a sip of her coffee.
“I know.”
“Honestly, I’ve been expecting you and your brother to confront me for years. Especially after your aunt told you guys what happened that night.”
It was clear to Monicha that her mom and grandparents pulled off the biggest deception of all time. And, a few minutes after talking to Sunny she knew why.
“I was angry when I found out about your mom and Orlando. He was my high school sweetheart. We got married two days before I left for the army. I knew in my heart that he was cheating on me because the letters slowed down, and he was missing phone calls.”
Monicha could tell that Sunny clearly loved her dad. “What happened that night?”
“That night,” Sunny took a sip of her coffee. “We had just returned from your grandparents’ for Easter Sunday Dinner. I was in the kitchen putting the food away when he came in and said he needed to talk. In my heart I already knew what he was going to say.” She took another sip of her coffee, then she told Monicha that her dad showed her the picture of her and brother. “I knew the only reason your dad was staying with me was because his parents looked down on divorce. And, he hated seeing you guys every other weekend at Jennifer’s.”
Monicha listened to Sunny tell her about the fight she and her dad had before he walked out the door. “When he slammed the door, I knew he wasn’t coming back. I got in my car and started driving. I drove maybe thirty minutes before I spotted his car at the motel. So, I pulled in and parked.” Monicha could tell that she was reliving that night all over again. She started to stop her, but she needed answers that only Sunny could provide.
“I sat there debating on what to do because I had no idea what room he was in. Or, if he was in there alone. So, I went to the desk and told the man my husband locked the key in our room, and he gave me another. When I was heading to the room, that’s when I saw your mom go into the room. He kissed her in a way he had never kissed me before.”
Monicha wondered if her Aunt Patti told her dad that she wasn’t Matti. And, that was going to be a detail she would leave out when she talked to her brother about it.
“I was so angry that I went back to my car. I sat in the car with tears coming down my face. I started to leave when I remembered my gun was in the trunk. It was never my plan to shoot either one of them. I just wanted to scare Orlando. That’s all.” She looked at me, “When I walked up to the door, I heard them arguing. I was relieved because I figured she was turning him down.”
“So, why didn’t you leave at that point?”
“I’m not sure. I guess I wanted to hear him say that he was coming home to me.”
“Did he?”
“No. He said that he was leaving me and wanted to make a life with you and your mom.” Sunny took a deep breath, “That’s when I lost it. I started banging on the door. When Orlando opened the door, he told me to leave.” Sunny explained that she didn’t even remember pulling out the gun, let alone pulling the trigger. She said when she came to herself, Orlando was falling to the floor. “Your mom was on the phone calling the police. I pointed the gun at her. She screamed, “I’m Patti,” and tried to run to the bathroom.”
Monicha asked her to stop for a minute. She needed to compose herself because the way she told the story sent chills all over her body.
“If this is too much, I can stop,” Sunny asked.
“No, please don’t.” Monicha grabbed her cup of coffee off the table. “I just found out about you Christmas Eve. Before then, my brother and I, didn’t know anything about my father or you. I need to know everything for myself.”
“Alright,” Sunny said before continuing her story. “Your mom was running toward the bathroom. I fired shots to scare her. I didn’t mean to shoot her.”
“Wait,” she wasn’t talking to a dummy. “Weren’t you in the army?”
“I was.”
“So,” Monicha was trying to compose herself, “a woman who had been in the military for four years, doesn’t know how to use a gun.” Monicha felt rage, “Your intention was to kill my mother. I’m not buying the I was just shooting to scare her.”
Sunny sat her cup on the table, “I know this may be hard for you to imagine, but that’s all I was wanting to do.”
Monicha stood up, “This was a mistake. I’m sorry. I should have never come here.”
“Honestly, I thought you and your brother were coming with your Aunt Patti the other year when my therapist asked her to come so I could ask forgiveness.”
Monicha had heard enough. It was obvious to Sunny, that Monicha had heard enough. Sunny stood up and asked if she would see her again. “I’m not sure,” Monicha replied.
“I would love for Sunday to get to know you and your brother.”
“Maybe one day, but for now I need to catch my flight,” Monicha said as she walked Sunny to the door.
“I pray one day that you will find it in your heart to forgive me,” Sunny told her.
Monicha knew forgiveness would come someday, but for now she had to find a way to forgive her mom.
Will you pick up me from the airport?? We need to TALK!!
After she sent a text to her brother, she grabbed her bags then headed down to her Uber to head home.
