by JR Thompson
When Brock didn’t answer, Collin stood back up to his feet and motioned for his wife and son to follow him.
“Why is he acting like such a baby?” Remmy asked.
“Shush!” Alayna snapped, giving him the death stare.
The rest of the walk home was in complete silence. What do you say after seeing a grown man behave like that?
Once inside, things changed rapidly. “It’s time we have a family meeting,” Collin said. “Will you both please have a seat on the couch?”
Alayna was surprised at Collin’s tone, but decided to sit down since he had used the magic word. She crossed her arms and waited for the bawling out she was certainly about to receive. Remington nervously sat down as well.
With a tear forming in Collin’s right eye, he said, “I want to apologize to the two of you. I have not been the kind of husband or father that I know I ought to be.”
Pausing, he stuck both hands in his pockets. He had found himself completely overwhelmed by emotion.
Without waiting for an explanation, Remington stood up from the couch, strutted over, and hugged his daddy. “What do you mean? You’re the best dad ever!”
Collin patted him on the head and motioned for him to return to his seat before saying, “No, actually —.”
Alayna interrupted him, “You’re the sweetest man I have ever known. You’re a wonderful husband — even if you do have an obsession with people’s feet.”
Her comment helped lighten the mood for a moment, “Not with their feet, dear; with their shoes. Huge difference,” Collin said. “Seriously, even though I appreciate your support, I know I have not been leading this family the way I should be. God has an order in the Bible. God comes first and then the husband is supposed to submit himself to God’s authority. The husband is also supposed to love and honor his wife. The wife is supposed to submit to her husband’s authority as the head of the household. Then the children are supposed to submit themselves to both the mother and the father. Somehow, that’s all gotten messed up in our home and I’m the one to blame.”
Silence again filled the room. Collin sat down on a chair facing Alayna and Remington. He looked down toward the floor, not knowing what else to say.
Alayna pushed herself up from the couch, ambled over to him, and plopped herself down on his lap. “I love you baby. I haven’t made it easy for you to be the leader of our home, have I?”
She paused, but Collin didn’t answer. Alayna sweetly wrapped both arms around Collin’s neck and continued, “I wasn’t comfortable with Brock staying here. I wasn’t going to argue about it, but I didn’t comply with your wishes very gracefully either. I know it’s not the first time we’ve had differences of opinion. I know I’m supposed to let you lead our house and I’m sorry for not being the right kind of follower.”
Alayna didn’t have to pause that time; Collin jumped right back in. He wanted to make sure she understood that even though he was supposed to lead, he didn’t mean their house was a dictatorship. He pointed out that God was the king of the castle and he was just one of God’s loyal subjects. “My job is to submit to Him and to love you. You and I have to work together, but I am responsible for the final decisions that have to be made. I want you to share your opinions with me, but I have to learn how to lead.”
There was another brief, awkward silence and then Remington chimed in, “I guess it’s my fault too, huh, Dad?”
“No Remmy, it’s not your fault or your mother’s fault. I’m the one who has not been filling the role God assigned me. It’s on my shoulders.”
“But Dad, I pushed you because I wanted you to let Brock come in the house. I tried to convince you and Mom to give him a chance. I should have just listened to you and let you make that decision.”
Collin lovingly explained to both Alayna and Remington that he was ready to be the man God wanted him to be. Some changes needed to be made in their household. He insisted it was time that each and every member of the house began to walk by faith; not by sight or by fear. It was time for each of them to put God first and foremost in their lives.
Alayna hadn’t been so proud of her husband in years. His take-charge attitude was a welcome change.
As if it was planned, Brock clopped back inside just as the last words were spoken. He started to sneak past the family to head into his bedroom, but Collin stopped him. “We’re having a household meeting, Brock. Please have a seat.”
The expression on Brock’s face was somewhat amusing; it was slightly child-like. He looked like he was expecting to hear the lecture of his life-time. Obediently, he sat down next to Remington.
Collin looked down at his feet. “If you didn’t clean off those shoes, you need to take them off before you track anything,” he fussed.
Frustrated, Brock kicked his shoes off and scooted them out of the way.
“You know, a person’s shoes say a lot about him.”
Brock rolled his eyes and looked at Remington as if to say, “How have you put up with this man all of these years?”
Collin changed pace and apologized to Brock for the conversation he had overheard earlier. He explained about how Nikki had found the news articles about the allegations that had come up against him and admitted to sharing that information with his wife. He told Brock he was certain God wanted him to stay in their home for the time being and they would do whatever they could to accommodate him.
“My brain is extremely perplexed at this moment,” Brock said. “The reason I was lying out in the grass is because I had a grave desire to be exterminated. I find myself becoming increasingly nauseated because of people believing grotesque untruths about me. I never attacked that kid; he had never wandered into my vision before. I thought your household was of a rare breed; I now see that my theory was erroneous. I appreciate your desire of providing aid to me, but if every person in your household doesn’t trust me, this arrangement will certainly fail.”
Collin sensed the conversation was about to get sticky. He told Brock about the discussion he had with his wife and son moments before. He told him as the head of the household, it was his decision as to whether or not Brock could stay. He had made that decision and his wife would support him one hundred percent.
Brock didn’t respond. He looked at Alayna as if he was trying to read her.
Alayna spoke right up. She told him she had made some mistakes. She had allowed her mind to go places it shouldn’t have gone. She had allowed a fear of the unknown to take over her emotions. She had failed to trust the husband God had provided to lead her. She said she too was ready for Brock to stay in the house.
“May I address you with an inquiry?” Brock asked.
“Sure. Anything,” Alayna replied.
“Do you know I’m innocent?”
Alayna was speechless. She looked at Collin with eyes that screamed, “Help!”
Collin was just glad it was his wife on the hot seat instead of him. That was a difficult question and he wondered how she would respond.
After taking a moment to gather her thoughts, Alayna said, “I won’t lie to you, Brock. I’m not completely confident that you’re innocent. However, I trust my husband’s judgment. I believe with everything in me that he’s been talking to God and submitting himself to God the way that I would want him to. My husband would not allow someone to stay in our home who was going to hurt me or my son. I want you to stay and I am not going to worry about you hurting us. I trust my husband too much for that.”
CHAPTER 7 – OOH LA LA!
Before dismissing the family meeting that evening, Collin thought it would be best if they held a devotion time. He opened his Bible to the third chapter of Mark and reminded them about how Jesus had taught that a house divided could not stand. He emphasized the importance of unity in the home.
After the devotion, as he often did, Collin opened the floor for questions and, as usual, Remington had one, “I’m afraid this issue is going to keep coming up until someone is charged with kidnapping and trying
to cannibalize that boy. Our house will always be divided until that happens.”
Collin attempted to console him by explaining that there are many people throughout the world who have been accused of crimes and sometimes no one is ever prosecuted. They could not hold their breath indefinitely waiting on a guilty verdict. They had to simply move forward.
Brock sided with Remington, insisting his innocence should both be proven and proclaimed. He said he would never be able to move on with his life until his reputation had been cleared. He didn’t want the Russells to always have to wonder about his trustworthiness.
Alayna hesitantly spoke up, “I will do everything in my power to help — to make sure the truth behind that boy’s accusations is uncovered.”
Brock wasn’t stupid; he read between the lines. Even though Alayna had found a new sense of trust in her husband’s leadership abilities, she was still not convinced Brock was an honest individual. Still, he had no other place to go. Since Collin had taken charge of the family, Brock agreed to stick around for a while to see if things would improve.
The next morning, Collin woke him up at the crack of dawn; it was time to go job hunting. After his last experience, Brock didn’t really feel up to looking for another job just yet. However, Collin hadn’t asked him if he wanted to go; he told him.
◆◆◆
Getting ready to go into work, Nikki glanced behind her when she heard Collin’s jalopy coming across the parking lot. Her face lit up when she saw Brock in the passenger side. That dude’s adorable and he is all mine!
Nikki didn’t even try to suppress her smile. She traipsed right over to the truck. “Hey thief,” she said with a wink. “Why’d ya have to go and steal my heart like that?”
With a surprised look on his face, Brock said, “Hi.” That was all he could muster.
Nikki knew what that meant. Brock had fallen so hard for her that he was speechless. He was so madly in love with her that he was afraid to say much. He didn’t want to make a mistake and run her off. She knew because she had been in that predicament herself before.
Understanding Brock’s shyness, Nikki decided to take over. “What are your plans for this evening?”
Brock didn’t have a clue how to answer that question. Should he tell her he planned on washing his tennis shoes to make Collin happy? No, he decided, that would make me sound like a geek. Trying to save face, he said, “Life is too delicate for plans; moment by moment is how I choose to utilize my being. How about you?”
Nikki smiled. I don’t know what it is about that man, but he is a stud. “Oh, I have plans. That is, if you don’t ruin them.”
Brock didn’t understand Nikki at all. “How would I ruin your plans?”
Giggling, Nikki said, “By saying no, of course. Would you like to go out with me this evening? I get off work at 5:00.”
Brock hesitated for a moment before shyly uttering, “I’m actually supposed to be picking Collin up at 5:00.”
Isn’t that cute? No car? That’s okay. I got this!
“So you don’t have a rig of your own, huh? Do you have a driver’s license?”
“Of course.”
“How about a library card?”
“How are those two things even remotely connected?”
“They’re not. I was just hoping you have a library card because I would be honored to check you out anytime, baby.”
Nikki had set the hook and reeled him in.
◆◆◆
After leaving Just Right, Brock began driving up and down side roads looking for “Help Wanted” posters. He filled out several applications, but didn’t see signs of any doors opening. That is, until he went into the Clayville Tree Nursery.
Stephen Malloy, the hiring manager, just happened to be in the office when Brock walked in. Brock thought he looked like a giraffe on steroids — long legs, average weight, overly stretched neck, weird looking ears, a mouth that was disproportionate to his face, yet having muscles Goliath would have envied.
Stephen asked Brock to go for a walk with him so they could discuss the position; he pointed out a warehouse about thirty yards away and told him that’s where the trees and plants were stored during the winter months. While Stephen walked Brock toward the building, he asked him some personal questions. He asked if he was married, if he had any children, what he enjoyed doing in his spare time, who he lived with, and what made him tick.
Brock answered his questions, without realizing he was actually being interviewed for the position. Stephen swiped his badge at a card reader and slid the door to the warehouse open. Inside, he flipped on the lights and then closed and locked the door behind them.
That’s kind of creepy. I’m now locked inside of a warehouse with Giraffe-Man. Looking around him, Brock tried to familiarize himself with everything in the room. If he tries to attack me, I’m going to clock him with that 2x4, he thought, glancing at a board laying a few feet from him.
The warehouse was huge, but relatively empty. Stephen walked him toward the back of the building where Brock could see a large room of some kind. Stephen continued asking questions while they walked — the questions helped alleviate Brock’s uneasiness.
Stephen asked if he had any history of health problems, if he had a strong back, if he was a hard worker, if he would be willing to perform monotonous work, and how well he could get along with people from diverse backgrounds.
As Brock answered the last question, they entered the large room he had been keeping his eye on. It was an employee break room. It housed a couple of snack machines, two refrigerators, a microwave, and some tables and chairs.
Stephen asked Brock to have a seat, “I’m going to be honest with you. This job is not for the faint of heart. It is difficult, monotonous work and it only pays minimum wage to start with. We are used to guys getting hired, working a couple of days, and quitting because they can’t take it. We’re looking for someone who is willing to make a commitment, for someone who will be willing to put their all into it. If you’re willing to put your best foot forward no matter what, you’ve got the job.”
First, a girl flirted with and then asked him out. Now an employer wanted to hire him after a casual non-official interview. Brock was certain a full moon must be in the forecast. He wasn’t sure he wanted this job. The way Stephen spoke was somewhat of a turn-off. It sounded like a job that might be steady with good hours, but possibly harder work than he had ever done in his life.
He needed a steady income and no other doors were opening, so he accepted the position and agreed to return to the office at 7 am the next morning for his first day of work.
Brock didn’t leave the tree nursery quite as excitedly as he left the newspaper office, but at least he had a job. That was the main thing!
Hoping to find a better door of opportunity, Brock began driving around looking for more “Help Wanted” posters. He stopped in a bakery, a candy shop, and a dollar store. Just like before, even though he turned in applications at all three places, he didn’t get any good vibes. It looked like the tree nursery was what was meant to be.
After leaving the dollar store, he rounded a bend and saw the local library. He drove by, but a small voice inside said, “Go back.”
Brock kept driving for a few minutes. He hadn’t been inside of a library for years. Why would he go back? Then a cinderblock fell on his head; he had some time to kill. Maybe in the library he could come up with some ideas as to how to convince Alayna of his innocence.
Whipping the Wagoneer off the road, he headed back to the library. Once inside, he glanced toward the main desk and had to do a double-take. The librarian looked like she could have been his grandma. She had the same silvery hair worn in the same type of bun, the same enormous rectangular bifocals, the same arched back, and even wore the same kind of plaid dress.
Smiling, she asked, “May I help you?”
Wow! She even sounds like Grandma. What a strange day this was turning into.
Trying to ignore the similariti
es, Brock asked her if she had any books on mystery solving. Sounding confident, she smiled and said, “Right this way.”
The lady took him to a shelf containing at least fifty murder-mystery type of novels. “This is what you were looking for, right?”
Brock glanced at the books for a moment and said, “Not particularly. Literature regarding how to solve mysteries is what I am seeking.”
The librarian’s eyes widened a bit, “How interesting! Are you considering becoming a private investigator?”
Brock couldn’t bring himself to tell her about the allegations made against him. He didn’t want to scare Grandma into having a heart attack — so he went along with her idea, “Yes, Ma’am. Investigative work sounds like just the type of challenge I am ready to welcome.”
The cordial lady walked him across to the other side of the library. In the careers section, she picked up a book titled All You Need To Know About Becoming A Successful Private Eye. Grandma told him it was the only book in their library on the subject; she hoped it would be helpful.
Brock asked her for some paper and a pencil so he could take notes and she obliged. He studied for two hours, scribbling down notes so rapidly he nearly caught his paper on fire. Brock would find a way to gain Alayna’s trust if it was the last thing he did.
He would have studied longer, but when he looked up at the tacky multi-colored butterfly clock, Brock knew he had to get going. It was already 3:15 and he wasn’t sure if he would even know his way back to the shoe store.
CHAPTER 8 – THE RENDEVOUS
Brock took off in the direction he thought he had come from. I’m sure this is the right way, he told himself. I remember seeing that little brick house over there. He drove a few more miles and began to doubt himself. I don’t know. Surely I would have remembered that glass blowing factory, he told himself. It was getting to the point that nothing looked even vaguely familiar.
