Arriving in Charleston South Carolina, less than 24 hours later, Sean rented a car heading to Southern Charleston's Biltmore Park subdivision where his mother shared the one story luxury home he'd purchased for her and his two youngest sisters. Sean hoped his sister Lindsey, who was a photographer for National Geographic, was away taking pictures in the wilds of Africa somewhere and his sister Tyler, who was a plus size model, was off on a shoot somewhere so he could have his mom all to himself. He covered the miles in deep thought wondering how his mom would take the news of his upcoming fatherhood. He knew the news would be a surprise but he also knew his mom would be happy to have another grandchild on the way. Sean thoughts took him back to the last time he was told he was going to be a father. Sean remembered thinking he was on top of the world, he was in love, his beautiful lady, Tanya, was pregnant with his child, and the team he worked so hard for was on their way to the Super Bowl. He remembered thinking life couldn't get much better than that. Then it all came crashing down when he caught Tanya in bed with the real father of her baby and demanded a paternity test before he'd thrown her and the bum out, however not before giving the idiot dumb enough to come into his home and screw his woman a well-deserved beat down. Sean had been an emotional wreck when he'd played in that Super Bowl game, dealing with the assault charges, then the civil suit the idiot brought against him for the beat down Sean had given him, the paternity suit Tanya had brought against him, and the media frenzy the scandal caused. During that time Sean had let his emotions control his actions and lost his focus. After his injury cost him his career in the NFL Sean vowed to keep his feelings on ice because they were too volatile. He'd locked up his feelings and put them in deep freeze so he could concentrate on building a new life outside of football for himself. He reasoned he would only remain successful in his endeavors if he never allowed his emotions to become involved again. Now here he was, with a baby on the way with a lady who was not only beautiful on the outside but, inside as well, and all he had to do was be able to love her and tell her he loved her to have everything he'd always wanted. What a dilemma, Sean thought as he made the drive home in record time. He was home. He parked the rental, got his bag, entering his mom's house with his key, he called, "Mom? Is anyone home?"
Hearing no response he made his way to his room and put down his bag and keys then headed out to the backyard where he figured he would probably find his mother working in her greenhouse. That was just where he found Helen Randall Grayson puttering around her azaleas pulling potting, repotting and singing to her blossoming babies.
"Hey, how is my beautiful mother this find morning?" Sean asked coming up behind his mother to pull her into his arms for a big hug.
"Hello, Baby-Boy," his mom said with a warm welcoming smile calling him by her very own special name for him and kissing Sean on his cheek before pulling him into a warm embrace. Sean's mom was a full-figured woman warm and cuddly. When she hugged him he remembered as a child how good his mom's hugs made him feel no matter how bad he'd been hurt. His mom's hugs always felt like coming home. The years had been good to his mother although she possessed an ample plump frame she stayed fit as a fiddle working in her garden and numerous flower beds throughout the four acre estate. Helen Grayson was originally from Louisiana. The half African American, half Creole beauty had smooth milk chocolate skin and silky blue black hair that was starting to grey at the temples. Helen had been singing in a jazz club in New Orleans when her unusual beauty caught the eye of Sean's blue blooded Caucasian father, Sean Garrett Grayson Jr. who fell madly in love with her and against his family wishes, eloped with Helen leaving behind his family's wealth and land to make a name for himself in the import export business then later the stock market. He'd been a devoted husband and father to Helen and their four daughters but died tragically after contracting a fatal case of pneumonia. Eight months after his death the son he'd always wanted was born. Sean never knew his father and his mother never remarried so he grew up in a house full of women who spoiled him rotten.
After hugging her son Helen gave him a thorough look over. She could tell something was bothering her baby boy so she came right out and asked, "what's bothering you Babe'?"
Sean knew his mom could always tell when he was in trouble or in need of some good advice but he wasn't expecting to have this talk so soon after his arrival. However, knowing his mom he knew he'd better spill the beans.
"Mom, I'm going to be a father," he said solemnly.
"Judging by the way you said that I take it this is not something you are happy about. Is this another Tanya situation, Son?" his mom asked.
"No this situation is nothing like that Mom. Rachel is nothing like Tanya. I met her a little over two months ago. Everything just happened so fast Mom. I mean she is not like anyone I ever met before. Rachel is a beautiful person; she's a widow and a mother of two. Her kids are away at college. She works for the CDC in Atlanta; she has a beautiful home, and is part owner in her family's catering business. Mom, she can cook and she sings like an angel. Rachel is wonderful, Mom!'" Sean finished singing Rachel's praises.
"If she is so wonderful, then what is the problem, Sean? Why have you come home looking like you did when your puppy died?" Helen asked.
"It's complicated, Mom. I mean the relationship between me and Rachel has progressed pretty quickly. The first time I saw her I knew I had to have her. My reaction to her was almost like an addiction, but of the good kind. I don't know why it happened like that, all I know is I want to do the right thing now that she's having my baby and she won't let me," Sean confessed
"What do you mean she won't let you do the right thing, Son? Do you love her," Helen asked.
"I told her I wanted to marry her and give our child my name. I told her I would be there for her and she wouldn't have to raise our child alone. What more could she ask for?" Sean said rubbing his head in frustration.
"Sean you didn't answer my question, Babe. Do you love her?" asked his mother again.
"I honestly don't know, Mom. I know that I like her. I want her and my child, but I don't know if I can love, Mom. After that whole Tanya fiasco, I thought it best to the leave serious emotions out of my relationships. They just complicate things," Sean explained to his mother.
"Son, don't you understand you may have convinced yourself that you put your most serious emotions away, but you haven't. Sean you have been letting one of the most serious of emotions control your life for years, Baby boy. That emotion is fear Babe', you have been afraid to let your heart get involved because you were afraid you'd get hurt again like Tanya hurt you. You've been afraid to love because you have been afraid love would make you lose control like you did when you assaulted Tanya's lover, and you've been afraid love would make you lose your focus like you did in the Super Bowl, which caused your injury. Now are you going to let fear be the reason you to lose the one person who could make your life complete?" Helen told her son wisely.
"Baby boy, you are going to have to stop being afraid and go after your happiness. Except for the color of your skin, you are the spitting image of your father and that man was never afraid of anything. He pursued me until he convinced me we belonged together in spite of all the threats from his family and peers; your father defied them all because of his love for me. He went through hell and back for me and his children. Just because he wasn't here to help me raise you, doesn't mean you are no less Sean Garrett Grayson, Jr's son. What you need to do is look inside your heart, Sean, release the fear and be honest with yourself. If Rachel is in your heart then you admit your feelings to yourself. After you find your answer go tell your Rachel how you truly feel about her and my grandbaby she is carrying. I'm sure you will finally receive the happiness you deserve," Helen said with a kiss to Sean's dimpled jaw. "Now go on up to the house, I made some of your favorites because I had a feeling you would be paying me a visit soon," she told him turning back to her plants.
"I don't know how you do it Mom, but it never fails you always know when I'm coming home don't you?" kissing his mom on the cheek he turned to leave the greenhouse going back to the main house for some food, and to do the soul searching his Mom told him to do.