His Mother's Bosom

By Ashea Goldson and Larry Reed

Kevin Johnson is losing his mother to cancer and it seems like he's losing his mind as well. With his life turned upside down, and a rage building inside him, will he be able to move forward? Or will Kevin be destined to disappoint God and bring shame even to the one person that means so much to him, his mother?

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: May 9, 2013
• ISBN: 9780976793342

Book preview

cause.

Stage 0

A cell becomes cancer right where it is

Twenty Three Hours

The nurses hustled and bustled around me. I could hear their footsteps as they lined up against my bed, one by one checking the monitors, making sure I was still alive. Then I could hear my doctor's voice giving instructions. He was trying to save my life. They were checking my breathing and breathing was real hard for me now. Did I want to go on with this pain? At this point I really didn't know. After all, I could hardly feel anything anymore as I lie in my hospital bed. Were the covers soft and warm or not? Was it day or night? I didn't know that either. I was almost numb. I could tell they were poking and prodding by a series of things I wouldn't exactly call feeling but it was close. They examined my eyes. I know from what I'd heard before that they were checking to see if my pupils were dilated. I couldn't feel myself blink but I knew tears were welling up behind my eyelids. I could sense those. I heard one nurse say how cold I was and how dark I looked. What happened to my honey brown skin?

It won't be long now, she said.

I 'm sure I had a pulse, though. Otherwise they all would've called it quits. Still, my heart continued to beat slower and slower inside my chest. I didn't know what it was waiting for. It had already felt enough heartbreak for a lifetime. Why didn't it just stop altogether?

Chapter One

Sixteen year old Kevin swirled and leaped in the air with the precision of a true basketball champion. Kevin smiled his biggest smile as the sweat dripped from his brow.

Go, Kev, someone screamed.

Kevin gave the thumbs up signal. He was a winner, and nothing could stop him. Kevin jumped high on his muscular calves as he dunked the ball into the net. Yes, he said, slapping his teammate a high five.

The crowd cheered as they leaned up against the rusty gate of the neighborhood court.

Now, that's what I'm talking 'bout, son, Derek said. We've got it.

You know it, Kevin said, grinning at their eight point victory.

Since the game was over, the spectators began to disperse, still chattering about the game.

Tony stood directly in front of Kevin. And just in time because the street lights have come on and Kevin has gotta get his behind inside.

The team burst into laughter.

Shut up, Tony, Kevin said, wiping the sweat from his face, grabbing his shirt from the ground and turning to go..

Derek yelled, Hey, what about Nadine?

Kevin turned around to face Derek. What about her?

Derek continued, Come on, man. Are you going to Nadines's party or not?

Yeah, she keeps asking about you, man, Tony added.

I don't know. Kevin hunched his shoulders. Depends on what my mom says, I guess.

Tony burst into laughter. Your mom? You're kidding, right?

Naw, man. Kevin laughed as he started to run. You don't know my mom.

James chuckled, Man, you're a punk.

Whatever, Kevin said, I'm out. Kevin walked away from the basketball court, headed for home. Deep down inside he hoped he would be allowed to attend the party but he wouldn't bet on it. His mom was pretty strict about those things, although his father was usually neutral.

He looked back over his shoulder to see his friends still shooting hoops. They didn't have curfews or rules but Kevin did. And they were always making fun of him for it. Their teasing did not bother him as much as it used to, though. Maybe it was because he was a mama's boy at heart and he really didn't mind going home. Or maybe it was because he understood his mother's fear concerning the mean streets of his Brooklyn neighborhood. Either way, he tried to maintain a good attitude about it. After all missing one party wouldn't be the end of the world, especially since everything favored him.

Despite the dangers of growing up in a rough neighborhood like Bedford Stuyvesant, or Do or Die Bed Stuy as it was so commonly called, Kevin was paving his own way. As a junior in high school, doing well academically, beginning to date, and playing basketball for his school varsity team, Kevin was at the top of his game. He was tall, good looking and fairly popular, at least by most local standards.

Kevin took the urine drenched elevator upstairs to his sixth floor public housing apartment. He unlocked the door and entered to find his mother and little sister sitting on the couch talking. He playfully hit Lisa upside the head with his jacket, smiled at his mother and proceeded to the kitchen for a snack. He rummaged through the refrigerator and then settled on his favorite soft drink.

Kevin, don't spoil your dinner now, boy, his mother said.

His mother was a strong medium sized woman with a big heart and a newly converted soul.

I won't. Kevin walked by with a can of coke in his hand and retreated to his bedroom.

On this particular evening, though, Kevin's mother was quieter than normal. She didn't ask about how Kevin's day was at school, nor did she have her usual afterschool snack prepared for him. Kevin knew something was wrong but he just couldn't figure out what it was. He knew his mother had gone for a doctor's appointment earlier, which he had assumed was a routine checkup, because as usual she seemed healthier than ever. She didn't say that anything was wrong but he could feel it; the stillness of the house made him feel as though something evil lurked beneath the surface.

What was it that changed the atmosphere? Kevin shook the questions from his head and turned on the television in his room. Soon his sister, Lisa, walked by with the phone pinned to her ear, giggling like she had lost her mind. Kevin just shook his head before closing his door.

Lisa was three years younger than Kevin, a cute little adolescent girl who wore ponytails and pink jogging suits, but mostly she delighted in getting on her big brother's nerves. They didn't normally spend much time together anymore, not since Kevin hit puberty, that is. She was into all of the girly stuff like doing her hair and nails, or going shopping, and Kevin just couldn't relate to that at all.

Suddenly, Kevin's door cracked open. Hey, big head. I need to borrow your stapler, Lisa said, still talking on the phone to her friend.

Kevin spun around in his chair. Don't you ever knock?

Yeah, yeah, whatever, Lisa said.

Kevin turned around to his desk and held his stapler in his hand. Where is your stapler?

It's broken, Lisa smirked. Now throw it here.

Well, don't let the same thing happen to mine, Kevin warned as he threw her his stapler.

Lisa gave him a look. I need it for something in the kitchen.

I hope you're not trying to cook again, Kevin yelled out playfully.

Very funny. Lisa left the room without closing the door.

Later Kevin heard his father come in. Immediately, he felt a sense of normalcy, that everything would liven up again. At over three hundred pounds, Sonny was a big man and a larger than life character with a big smile and a contagious laugh. Kevin always looked up to his dad as the man of the house, the way he went to work every day, drove a delivery truck and provided for them as best he could. Since Sonny was also fun loving and adventuresome, if there was any excitement to be found, Sonny would be the one to find it. Sometimes this entailed a family road trip to his native North Carolina. Sometimes it included a fishing trip in nearby waters; after all, Sonny loved to fish. Usually, it was just a night of his favorite television sitcoms.

Within minutes, though, Kevin could tell his parents were whispering. That was strange. Usually his father's coming home was a grand production of laughter and stories about Sonny's day on the job. Neither one of them had called them out for dinner yet. In fact, he didn't even smell anything cooking. Why was the apartment still so quiet? Kevin felt a sense of uneasiness he had never felt before but he didn't bother to alert his sister with his own anxieties. Instead he tried to focus on the show in front of him and tried to put the fears, that were creeping up, behind him.

Lily summoned her children. Kevin and Lisa, come here please.

Yes! Kevin jumped up and headed toward the living room where he bumped into Lisa who was coming out of the kitchen.

Sit down. Lily said.

Kevin sat on the brown and beige colored sofa next to his mother. No dinner?

Lisa sat beside Kevin but didn't say a word.

I have some frozen dinners for you in the freezer. I didn't have a chance to cook. We want to talk to you kids about something. Lily spoke slowly.

No dinner? Now Kevin knew something was wrong. What's going on?

Your mother is sick, Sonny said, looking at Lily.

Kevin suddenly felt sick himself. Sick?

Lisa leaned over to her mother. What's wrong, Mommy?

Mommy went to see a doctor a week ago and then again today because a couple of weeks ago I found a lump in my breast. Lily's eyes filled up with tears.

Kevin was confused. What could she possibly be saying? A lump?

Lily gently put her arms around both of her children. Mommy has breast cancer.

It's gonna be alright, Kevin said, determined to lift his mother's spirits.

Yeah, your mommy is going to be alright, Sonny leaned forward in his recliner.

I know I am, Lily said, trying to form a smile. I didn't say anything about it before because I wasn't sure but now that the tests are back...

It's okay, Kevin said, patting his mother's hand. He saw the worry lines bulging in his mother's forehead. He also saw his father fiddling with his mustache, which he only did when he was nervous.

Yeah, Mommy, I'm sure you'll be okay, Lisa said.

Lily spoke softly to her children. Still we'll be going through this together and things will have to be different around here sometimes. Try to understand, okay?

Sonny cleared his throat before speaking. Try to help your mother as much as possible when she's not feeling well until the doctor's can start her medicine and she can get better.

We'll do whatever you need, Kevin said as a million thoughts raced