A House Divided Read Online Free

and wondered how he was doing, and partly because she hadn’t had a chance to hold him or even get close to him. It had been a blessing just to see him, even through the maternity ward glass window, but what Charlotte had longed for was to at least touch him and look into his eyes. She did understand Neil’s suggestion about everyone allowing the baby some time to get better, but this was her grandson and she wanted to be there for him; let him know how much she loved him and how she couldn’t wait to do everything she could to keep him happy.
    Charlotte walked toward the bed and saw Curtis standing in front of the dresser mirror, buttoning one of his custom dress shirts, and it was at that moment that she decided she was skipping church. “I think I’m gonna head over to the hospital.”
    Curtis looked at her reflection but never turned around and never said anything.
    “Did you hear me?”
    “I heard you. Just don’t know if that’s a good idea. Why don’t you wait until I get back from church, and we can go together?”
    “That’ll be hours from now. And why don’t you think it’s a good idea?”
    Curtis wrapped his tie around his neck, but he was silent again.
    “Hello?”
    “Because the last thing I wanna see or hear is you and Vanessa going at it again. Racquel doesn’t need that, neither does little MJ, and the hospital isn’t the place for it.”
    “First of all, the only reason Vanessa and I don’t get along is because of her. She hates when I come around, and she treats me horribly. And let me ask you something, Curtis: why are you calling the baby ‘little MJ’? You know what we discussed.”
    Curtis sighed. “Baby, I just don’t understand you sometimes.”
    “Why?”
    “Because if Racquel and Matt want to name their baby Matthew Jr., then everyone should be fine with that. We should call him what they want us to call him. Either Matt Jr. or little MJ, since that’s what Racquel called him last night before we left the hospital. That’s also what Matt called him on the phone. Baby, it’s their child and their decision, and we should honor that. Plus, there’s not a single thing wrong with having Jr. at the end of your name. It’s tradition.”
    “That’s all fine and well, but I like what I like and for good reason.”
    Curtis laughed and shook his head. “There’s just no getting through to you, is there?”
    “I don’t see what’s so funny. Matthew the Second sounds so much more prestigious and important, and I wish all of you realized that.”
    Curtis shook his head again.
    “Oh, and did you know Vanessa has already chosen someone else to christen the baby?”
    “No, but if that’s what Matt and Racquel want I don’t see anything wrong with it.”
    Charlotte scrunched her face. “Baby, he’s your grandson. You’re the only person who should even be considered.”
    “But whether I christen him or not, he’ll still be my grandson.”
    Curtis was frustrating her to no end, and Charlotte couldn’t understand why he was so calm about this. Couldn’t he see that if they didn’t stand up for themselves now, Vanessa would push them completely out of their grandson’s life?
    She opened her mouth to say just that, but there was a knock at the door.
    “Who is it?” Charlotte asked.
    “It’s me, Mommy,” Curtina said.
    “Come in.”
    Curtina walked over to her father. “Good morning, Daddy.”
    “Good morning, pumpkin.” Curtis leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. “How are you?”
    “Good.”
    “Good morning, sweetie,” Charlotte said.
    Curtina embraced her. “Good morning, Mommy. Are we going to church or to the hospital?”
    Charlotte had known the hospital question was coming, because this was all Curtina had talked about last night when Charlotte had picked her up from Aunt Emma’s. “Well, I’m going to the hospital, but you and Daddy are going to church. Daddy’s going to be leaving soon, and then I’ll drop you off when we get