The Edensville High Series: Adam Book #1

by JIrwin

Chapter Six

  Adam & Eve

  After breakfast the girls that stayed, Sarah, Eve, Jael and Elizabeth all helped Mrs. Grace wash up dishes and clean the kitchen. They graciously thanked her for the great food and apologized once more before they prepared to leave.

  “Hey Eve, do you have a ride?” Sarah asked as she and Abraham were walking out the back door.

  Eve shook her head. “No, I came with Luc…..” Her voice trailed off.

  “Well, come on we'll drop you off if you want," she offered.

  Eve glanced at Adam and nodded. “Um...sure okay, yeah that'd be great. Thanks.” Just as she made a movement to stand up from the table Mrs. Grace's voice stopped her.

  “Hey, Adam, why don’t you take Eve home?” Adam's attention shifted from the kitchen table to his mother.

  “I….uh….” Adam faltered.

  “I don’t think that is a very good idea. We still have some things to talk over, Martha.” His dad’s voice was stern, but Martha Grace had a plan.

  “Well sure, Edom, but the girl does need a ride home, and these guys need to get on home themselves so that they can get ready for church. It's already 9:00 o'clock and Sunday School starts at 10:00.” She lovingly tucked a stray hair behind Eve's ear, patted her on the back lightly and rubbed it affectionately before concluding her case by looking at Sarah and Abraham for confirmation. “Right?”

  Sarah looked at her boyfriend of three and a half years. “Oh yeah Abraham, she's right. We don't have much time at all. We need to get home and get ready for Sunday School ourselves.” Abraham smiled back at her after glancing at his watch. “Oh yeah, you are so right, sweetie. Sorry Eve no time, we gotta hit the road if we’re gonna get there in time. We’ll see you there….” He then turned to Adam. “Bye Adam and again, Mr. & Mrs. Grace thank you for breakfast, Joshua good to see you too man.” With that they were out the door.

  “Martha, Joshua can take Eve home,” Edom Grace stated flatly.

  Martha Grace turned toward her husband. “No dear, she is Adam's friend. He will be right back.” She then turned to Adam and spoke directly. “Adam, grab the keys to your dad’s green truck and take Eve home.” He hesitated and looked to his dad for approval, he nodded.

  “Adam, just make sure that you do come straight home. We have some things that we need to discuss young man.”

  Adam nodded nervously. “Yes sir.” He then pulled the green monster’s key from his pocket. “Eve?” She turned and gave his mom a huge hug.

  “How about you help me with some of the baking over the holidays? We could turn it into a baking lesson.” Martha Grace offered.

  “Yes ma'am, that would be amazing! If my parents allow me to.” The two hugged once more before Eve followed Adam toward the garage.

  “Don't worry, after you speak with your parents, I'll have a talk with Hannah myself.” Martha Grace was ever the peace maker.

  “Thank you, Mrs. Grace. I'd really like that.” Eve spoke graciously.

  “Call me Martha, sweetie.”

  “How about Ms. Martha? My parents don’t allow me to use an adult’s first names without mister or miss first,” she smiled.

  Martha Grace smiled back at her. “That sounds lovely.”

  Adam was holding the passenger side door open for Eve when she reached the garage, but didn't make eye contact with her. He helped her in and waited for her to be settled before closing the door. By the time he reached the driver’s side of the truck she was putting her bag that she had found in the pool house on the floor by her feet and buckling herself in. Adam followed suit with his buckle before starting the truck and backing out of the garage. The pair rode in silence to her home, which wasn't that far from his own being as Edensville was a very small town.

  Adam pulled up in front of her house and turned the truck off, only then did he break the silence between them. “Are you going to be in trouble for being out all night?”

  She shook her head causing her blonde ponytail to wiggle. “No, my parents think that I spent the night at Miriam's, but I'm gonna tell them the truth. I mean we do go to church together and your mom said that she would talk to mine about doing the baking lesson. So I guess the old saying better to confess than to get caught would be the right thing in this situation......” She looked down at her hands.

  “Yeah, you’re probably right.” Adam opened his door to hop out of the truck. Instinctively Eve reached for the door handle on her side.

  “Oh, no let me get that for you.” He made his way around to her side of the truck to open the door for her in a wide all-encompassing motion.

  “Your castle awaits, milady!” He made a grand sweeping gesture toward her front door as he bowed at the waist and held the other hand out for her to accept as she slid from the truck’s bench seat. Eve smiled and grasped his out stretched hand readily as she slid off the seat to place both feet on the curb near him, very near him.

  “Why thank you, kind sir.” The intimacy of the moment brought back memories that both were trying to capture, but viciously eluded them.

  Adam straightened, “You're quite welcome, milady.” He used his knight ruse to guide her safely through the short span of grass to the sidewalk.

  Eve took a step up the sidewalk that led to her front door, but stopped short. Returning to his side on tiptoe she placed her hand on his shoulder to help give herself a boost so that she could plant a soft and gentle kiss on the cheek. “No, Adam. Thank you.”

  He looked down into her upturned face. Never in all the time that he had known Eve St. Clair had she looked more beautiful than she did right now with no makeup to cover her lovely skin, her hair pulled back in a plain ponytail and wearing his sweats.

  Satisfied with the gesture she gave she bounced off toward the house, but stopped short again. “Hey, what do you say if your dad leaves enough of you…” She raised her eyebrows up and down several times. “….how about I give you a fashion lesson?” She grinned slyly and pulled at his sweatshirt then pointing at his own making a reference to him wearing his mom's blouse earlier.

  “Yeah?” He laughed before retorting, “Perhaps you’re the one that needs a lesson in fashion because I happen to know from firsthand experience that I am an extremely fashion forward kind of guy…..” He held out his hands as if he were innocent. She wrinkled her nose. “No?”

  She shook her head. “Um....that would be a big no! But you get an A for effort!” With that she made her way to the front door opened it, looked back one last time at him before entering and closing it between them.

  Adam couldn't wipe the smile off of his face as he closed the truck's door. The resounding creak and slam of metal against metal seemed louder than he ever remembered it being before. At that moment, Adam realized that he had had little time to think about how his head felt. It was still pounding, only now there were two heavy metal drummers playing in stereo in his head. Whatever kind of punch that had been, really gave a punch because he was still feeling it this morning.

  That's when discernment hit him. There had to have been something else in that punch. True, he had never been drunk before in his life, but he had heard of friends that had drank so much that they couldn't remember because they had totally blacked out. Wait. He had just drank punch, right? His mind questioned as he climbed back into the truck, closed his door and leaned his head against the steering wheel. Had he really drank alcohol? What exactly was in Hunch Punch? Was alcohol one of the main ingredients? Oh God no. He squeezed his eyes shut. No wonder he couldn't remember what happened last night! He had heard stories of people actually dying after drinking punch and kool-aid mixed with 180% pure grain alcohol. How could he have been so naive? So blind. So stupid. He knew better than to just take a cup from someone at a party! He knew better, but there was more to it than that. There was more in that Hunch Punch than alcohol, was he slipped a roofie?

  Lord, he knew better. He had even taught in his mentor's group not to let your drink out of your sight no matter what
you were drinking and never accept a drink from someone you don’t know. How could he have been so stupid? Because he was comfortable and in his own surroundings with people that he trusted, that’s how! Adam hit the steering wheel with his head several times before starting up the green monster and pulling away from the front of Eve's home. Halfway home a sign caught his attention Jordan State Park. He quickly made the detour and pulled into the desolate parking lot, put the truck in park and turned the engine off. He knew his parents wanted him to come straight home, and he was, but he had to get his heart and mind straight first and make things right with his heavenly Father before facing his earthly one again.

  Adam leaned his head forward against the large green steering wheel. “Lord, I've really messed things up this time and I'm not talking about just being disobedient to my parents or bad thoughts. I've made promises to You that I haven't kept. I've caused my family embarrassment, pain and loss. I've done only You know what with a girl that is not even my girlfriend, let alone my wife. How is it that You could love a screw up like me let alone forgive me?”

  Suddenly a scripture came to mind, one that Adam had first learned in Sunday School sitting next to a very young Eve St. Clair many years ago.

  John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son. That whosever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

  He and Eve had received gold stars that week, the only two in the class for memorizing it completely. Adam bowed his head trying to grasp that feeling again from that moment so long ago. He desired that feeling again of one so young and naive again, so innocent and pure. All he ever wanted was to be grown up so badly that he had rushed things. He knew the stupidity of that now. Then suddenly, right there behind the steering wheel of the green monster, a warm feeling came over him. No not particularly over him, but through him, out of him like a wave in the ocean pouring forth a warmth of love and forgiveness that only God can give. Adam recognized it and took in a deep breath, then sighing heavily, he released the pent up frustrations from the weekend letting that wave wash over him and through him taking with it the bad feelings of despair and heartache he was feeling. He wouldn’t run this time. He couldn’t. He had done wrong and knew it. He just needed to ask…….

  “Lord, please.....forgive me.” His words were plain, not long or drawn out in a hymn or prayer. Just simple. He knew that he had done wrong and recognized that he needed forgiveness for his actions against his parents, Eve and God. Actions that, as of now, he would accept as his own and take whatever punishment his parents decided that he deserved for them. Adam sat up and ran his hands over his face. He didn't know when he had begun crying, but the peace that had come over him was real, and he knew that he was indeed forgiven because he had asked God to do so. The consequences of what he had done, however, still had to be dealt with here on earth and now he needed to ask his parents forgiveness and accept their discipline.

  Adam started the green monster and headed for home. He had been in trouble since he awoke this morning for things he was definitely not proud of. He had even endured the embarrassment of his peers, all Populars at that mind you, knowing more than he would ever care for them to know about his life and family. He definitely wasn’t proud of his choices or the results from the events of the weekend, but in the briefest of moments Adam saw hope. A glimmer that something good just might come out of the chaos that ensued.

  Then that hope became marred when a nauseating thought caused him to crash back down to earth, hard. There was the matter that Eve could be even have gotten pregnant from their little escapade last night. He wasn't an idiot. Girls could get pregnant the first time they had sex. Had they used a condom? He'd have to look around his bedroom when he cleaned it, but he was sure that if they did have sex then they hadn't. He didn't have any. He didn't buy them because of the vow he took to stay celibate. He didn't need them, and he doubted seriously that she had brought one with her being as there probably weren't any pockets in the bikini she was wearing.

  Adam's heart sank as he ran a nervous hand through his dark hair, but he couldn't let that rob him of the peace he had just felt moments ago. Didn't the Bible talk about how the enemy roams the earth like a lion seeking to steal, kill and devour? Boy, he wasn't wasting time here was he? Adam vowed to not let him. He thought back to just a few moments ago, and to the feeling he just received back there in that empty parking lot. Yeah, he'd hold onto that moment for strength and face the consequences head on from this weekend. That was the responsible thing to do, not run.

  Adam was sure Eve was one of the things that his dad wanted to discuss. His dad didn't miss a thing. He knew that Eve had come down from upstairs and was wearing his sweats home. Man up dude, he spoke aloud in the cab of his dad's truck, the choices were yours and yours alone to make. You could have said a flat out no at the gas station and definitely not given Lucian the keys to your house! He took in a deep breath and blew out a big sigh. Yeah, hind sight is pretty clear when you're looking in a rear view mirror and full of shoulda, coulda and wouldas.

  When Adam pulled back into his driveway a patrol car was sitting there. Adam's heart skipped a beat in anxiety. He'd have to confess it all about the truck so that they could put out an APB on it. He parked, took in a deep breath and slowly made his way into the house where he found his parents, Joshua and none other than Officer Darius Daniels seated at their kitchen table.

  “Here he is. He'll be able to tell you more.” Martha Grace motioned toward Adam to come and take her seat at the table. “I'll get some coffee. You still like yours with two sugars and creamer Darius?” She busied herself with getting her husband's cousin a cup and pouring the freshly brewed coffee into it.

  “You know it, Martha.” Officer Daniels remarked then turned his attention to Adam. “Was all of this the reason you were in such a hurry yesterday?”

  Adam couldn't hold his gaze. He looked at his father's reaction, and then up at his mother's before returning it back to the awaiting officer. “Well, yes and no, but in my defense. It was only suppose to be three, plus me here. They were already here when you stopped me.”

  His dad shifted in his seat and questioned, “Stopped you?”

  Adam met his father's gaze. “Yes, sir, I was thinking about Eve being here and got a little heavy on the gas and Darius stopped me.” He dropped his head, would the humiliation ever end?

  “Oh, don't worry he wasn't driving erratic or anything. He just looked to be in a hurry, and since Martha had called and told me that ya'll were gonna be out of town and asked if I minded keeping an eye on the place, I thought I'd just pull him over and ask him if anything was wrong. I really just stopped him to see if he was okay. That's all.” Darius wasn't lying, but he was being kind because he knew what kind of trouble Adam was in already. He returned to the matter at hand. “So you think Lucian Black has the truck, huh? Are you positive in that?” The officer questioned Adam.

  “Well, I was told by a friend that she saw him at 2:00 this morning headed toward the garage.”

  His dad interjected. “…..and he has the keys to the house, hardware store and all of our vehicles?”

  Adam looked down at his hands. “Except for the gree…I mean the 150, I took that one off.” Adam threw in for extra credit, but his father grimaced and growled. That’s when Adam decided to speak and answer only when spoken to.

  For the next hour Officer Daniels sat listening to the story of the weekend while taking notes and asking vital questions. Before he left he gave Martha a hug and shook both Edom and Joshua's hands.

  Adam stood to walk the officer out, but he just patted him on the shoulder and spoke positively. “You are a good kid Adam. Don't let one mistake make you think you're not, alright?”

  Adam looked him in the eye. “Yes sir, I promise.” Darius patted his second cousin on the arm then spoke to Adam, Joshua and Edom.

  “Oh….and you guys better be ready for that football game at GG's next week. We're g
onna bring it this year!” He laughed at his own joke. It had been a Thanksgiving tradition in their family for as long as anyone could remember. Touch football outside in the yard at GG's while the ladies cooked, talked and caught up on the year. No one ever really kept score. It was a friendly game between the male cousins and their fathers. Bumps and bruises all forgotten the moment they bowed their heads and thanked God for family and the food prepared. They were a loving family, an encouraging family and a forgiving family. Adam hoped his father remembered that, when all was said and done. Joshua walked Darius out leaving Edom and Martha alone at the table with Adam. He waited quiet at first, but the silence was making him crazy.

  “Thank you for letting me to take Eve home.” He looked at his mother. She nodded, and the look in her eyes of empathy is what caused the levee that had been holding back the flood gate of emotions to break. Adam let his tears and emotions spew. His mother grabbed a box of tissues, placed them in front of him and touched his shoulder gently. Through the tears Adam sighed. “…..all I can say is Mom, Dad….I am so sorry.” He bowed his head and waited for their reply. No one said a thing for the longest moment. Joshua even came back after seeing Darius out and sat down for a little bit before anyone spoke.

  His dad was finally the one that broke the tension. “Adam, your brother and Darius was telling us about this Lucian Black before you got back. The first thing I'd like to say is that I am not happy that you are hanging out with such an extremely troubled kid. I mean, I knew the kid was bad news, he stole my truck, but I had no idea that he was in such deep trouble with the law. Secondly, just how involved are you with him? He has a reputation for being involved in gang activity, vandalism and even carjacking. Joshua says that he even runs a bar? How does an 18 year old run a bar?”

  Adam looked up at his brother, who shrugged and filled in Adam’s silent query. “I made a few calls. Lucian has a bunch of criminals that he hangs out with. They call themselves the Blackhearts, a few of them run a chop shop over in the warehouse district in Palestine.”

  Adam sighed. “So you found out where the truck is? Can you tell Darius where it is and they can go get it?”

  Joshua shook his head. “No, the guy I talked to won't deal with me if I breathe the fact that we’ve talked to the police already. He did say that he knew where the chop shop was and that he’d take me there tonight.” He paused and looked at their father. “....if I come alone.” Joshua’s jaw was set as if to say it has to be done and there is no talking me out of it. He could be stubborn like that sometimes.

  “Oh no you are not!” His father was emphatic and his hand came down a little too hard on the kitchen table. Martha Grace went to her husband and placed her soft hand over his. Edom Grace paused as he looked at her hand over his own. Then his voice softened. “Joshua, this is some serious and dangerous business. We don’t need to be involved in it any more than we already are. I'll call Darius and let him know you have a source and he can go with you. Hopefully, he can get to the contact, find out where the place is and get to the truck before they have time to do anything to it.” Adam closed his eyes. He couldn't believe his family was really talking about this. “And as for you, young man…..” Adam's eyes sprung open. “You are grounded until the first of the year with absolutely no social life until then. You can still use your scooter to get to school and to make deliveries, but nothing more. Is that understood?” Adam's head dropped then bobbed up and down several times in agreement taking the punishment that he had been waiting for. “And well.....” Edom Grace looked up into his wife’s eyes. She smiled as if a clue to go ahead with what he was going to say. “……well, we weren’t going to tell you until Christmas, but in light of everything that has happened you need to know the extent of the consequences of your behavior. We were going to let you know......” He looked at Adam and sighed, “......that we were going to give you the green monster for an early Christmas present when we got back today, but since you have proved a little less than responsible this weekend we have decided to wait until your senior year before we give it to you.” Adam was trying to hold back a grin as he nodded in agreement. On the inside though he was jumping and shouting with joy. He was going to have a vehicle! A real two door, enclosed cab, four tires vehicle of his own!

  He shook his head in understanding and tried to suppress the grin. “Yes sir, I understand.”

  His father wasn't finished. “And….” He glanced back up at his wife who nodded her head in total agreement. “You are to work in the Hardware store with me, starting tomorrow afternoon, every day after school and every Saturday until graduation. Your mother and I guessed that you needed something to help keep you busy since you didn’t have enough to do this weekend. And Sunday afternoons are going to be spent with your mother filling out at least one college application a week.” Martha Grace squeezed her husband's hand pulling him back a little as his voice got louder.

  Clearly ready to change the subject, Edom Grace took in a deep breath and questioned his youngest son farther. “Now...with all that being said and done, can you please explain to me exactly how it is that a boy with whom I only have vague recollections of, if any really, got a hold of the keys to my truck, my house and my business?” Adam had been dreading this, but he had to be truthful. He had to explain it from the beginning, even if he didn't understand it all himself.

  He took in a gulp of air. “I...I ….um...well.....I gave them to him.” His dad drew in a deep breath. His face got red, he blinked several times and Adam braced for the explosion, but again, Martha Grace came to the rescue and squeezed his father's hand lovingly.

  “Go on son, why did you.... give.... the keys to this… Lucian fellow?” Her voice was gentle.

  Adam glanced at his dad and shook his head. “I really didn’t have any intentions of doing it. I mean I wasn't thinking of nothing but getting to be with.....” His voice trailed off a bit and he looked down. “.....Eve.” No one spoke, but rather waited silently for him to gather himself and continue. “I..I...I was at the gas station filling up the green monster and the gas can for the lawn mower when Lucian pulled up at the next pump with Eve and Miriam Marah in his car.”

  “Oh I just love the Marahs, they’re such a sweet family,” Martha Grace interjected.

  His father's gaze went from the table to his wife in disbelief then back to the table before urging his son to reveal more. “Go on Adam.”

  Now even more nervous, Adam’s voice faltered. “Well…um…..he had heard that I was alone this weekend.”

  His father's gaze shot up to his youngest child's face. “And how did he know that?”

  Adam shrugged. He didn't want to bring David's name into it and get him into trouble. It was entirely his own fault. From the moment he took the truck to the tailgate party down to giving Lucian the keys. “I tried to tell him that I didn’t think it was a good idea, but he had found out about me driving your truck to the game Friday night, and I was afraid that he would tell on me for driving it…..” Adam's words trailed off.

  “Who was he going to tell son?” His father's voice was soft, yet stern and full of reason that Adam hadn’t thought about until now. His father took in a deep breath and blew it out. “Okay, so I'm beginning to see how things were set up for this to happen, but that still doesn’t explain to me how the keys were just given to him.....when I entrusted them to you.”

  Adam bowed his head, tears burned the rim of his eyes again, those words hit hard. “No sir, it doesn’t.” He was so ashamed. Tears began to trickle down his cheeks. “......it’s just that when we were at the gas station... we kinda talked about them coming over.” His dad prickled again and grumbled under his breath. Martha patted his hand softly for support.

  Adam continued. “I originally had said for them to come over at 4:00 o’clock that way I would be finished with my chores by the time they got here and we could swim.”

  His dad met his gaze. “So....what I am hearing is that you had already chosen to in
tentionally disobey us?”

  Adam shook his head. “No sir, it wasn’t like that at all.” Edom Grace was furious as his fist came down hard on the top of the table. Martha Grace jumped, as did Adam. "No? Sounds like that to me. You knew our stipulations."

  “Dad.” Joshua’s gentle voice cut in. “I think....” He paused as their father turned his attention to him. “What Adam is trying to say is that Eve was with Lucian and he used that, and the fact that he knew Adam was driving your truck on Friday, to get to have a party here. It sounds like he just wanted to gain access to your truck, and he would have used any means possible to get it.” Joshua looked over at Adam. “Is that right, bro?”

  The younger brother nodded, Joshua was right on. “Yeah totally!” Adam’s eyes lit up, his father grimaced. "Uh..I mean exactly." He looked back down thrilled that someone at least understood what his mind was trying to put together, but his mouth was having a difficult time delivering. That alone gave him new strength.

  “Dad.....” He turned toward his parents. “I am so sorry about all of it. I was so blinded by my own want and desire to be with Eve that I totally lost all reason and thoughts of the consequences. I just wanted to get her attention and spend some time with her......be with her….let her know who I really am. Woo her maybe and make her fall in love with me like you did with mom. It was foolish I know that…. now.” He raised his eyebrows up as if to say duh. “…I shoved the voice of reason to the farthest corners of my mind not wanting anything, but what I wanted.”

  His father squeezed his mother’s hand this time. “I don’t want you to think that I don’t understand that kind of desire son, but the Word says not to awaken my love before it is time. There are some heavy costs at awakening desire, passion and love before you are mature enough to handle it.” He reached up and stroked his wife’s cheek with the back of his hand, she nuzzled it gently and Adam felt himself blush at the display of affection passed between his parents. His dad’s focus returned again to his son. “…..and the fact remains, Adam, that a criminal has the keys not only to our vehicles, but to our business and home as well. Bottom line is that we need to get those keys back. I know Darius is going to send a patrol around to check out the store and our home, but I don't think any of us will rest well knowing Lucian Black or one of his associates could be robbing us blind or standing over us in our sleep ready to pounce.”

  At that moment Joshua’s phone vibrated with a text, it startled all four of them. “Is that your contact son?”

  He slid his phone out of his pocket and checked the screen. “Yes, sir.”

  “Does he say where the truck is?” His dad pressed.

  Joshua shook his head. “No sir, he just says for me to meet him and follow him there.”

  Edom Grace shook his head. “Absolutely not, I don’t like the idea. Give me the phone number, and I'll call Darius and he and I can go and meet this.....” He paused and waved his hand around a couple of times encouraging Joshua to fill in the guy’s name.

  “Judas.” Joshua added.

  His father grimaced. “Judas…… You don't need to go alone. It's too dangerous. We can go and keep you out of it.”

  Joshua stood up and shook his head. “Dad, I appreciate and respect your wishes, but let’s face it, the police may go and get the truck back, but the keys would still be with Lucian. You and Darius are not going to get close enough to him to get the keys back and we need to get them back. None of us are going to feel secure until we do.”

  He was right. The problem wasn't the truck being stolen. Insurance would cover that. The problem was that Lucian had the keys to everything the Grace's owned and none of them were truly safe until they were recovered. Edom Grace solemnly nodded his head in agreement giving the go ahead for Joshua to go on with the plan. Joshua kissed his mom on the cheek and then patted his dad on the back, squeezed Adam's shoulder and made his way to the door. What little resolve Adam had broke again. He jumped up from the table and grabbed his older brother, his soon to be savior in all of this mess, and hugged him tight. It was Joshua that broke the embrace with a firm pat on the back. Adam wiped his eyes as he watched his brother grab his own keys and head out the back door out of the house.

  “Joshua?” Adam called out.

  “Yeah?” He turned back toward his brother.

  “Hold on. I'm going with you.” Adam started around the table, but Joshua stopped him.

  “Adam, no, I have to go and do this alone. It'll be okay. I'll call you once I get the keys.” Adam turned toward their dad for help, but he waved his hand for Adam to take his seat.

  “Joshua?” Their father spoke directly to his oldest son.

  “Yes sir?”

  “Promise me that if there is any trouble, and that's trouble of any kind, that you will call us so we can call Darius and please, whatever you do, don’t do anything foolish.”

  Joshua nodded in agreement. “I got this dad. I’m not afraid of Lucian Black or any of his Blackhearts.” With that he exited the kitchen, leaving his parents and Adam staring at the back door.

  It wasn’t until after they heard the sound of Joshua’s truck leaving that Adam spoke. “Mom, Dad, I just can’t say it enough….. I am so sorry.” He couldn’t stop the tears that flowed from his eyes this time.

  “Honey, it’s going to be okay. Joshua will do what needs to be done so that we can all live securely again.” His mother came around the table and slid her arms around his shoulders. Her touch was gentle, her voice understanding and her love unconditional. Adam dropped his head again in shame.

  “Son, we don’t wish to shame you. This will pass and all fade in time. Then we’ll be able to look back at it and will have gained knowledge of what to do and what not to do.” It was his father’s tone and gentle smile that touched his heart. “Adam, just remember what your brother is doing and realize that he is doing this because of the love he has for you. We would rather he didn’t do this, but he is right, there is no other way to get the keys back.” He had never seen his father so calm over something so detrimental to his family before.

  Tears rolled down the cheeks of Martha Grace as she cleared her throat. “Adam....um...” She wiped the tears with the back of her hand. “Adam, honey.” She sat down. “We also have more to talk to you about.” He knew it was coming. The fact that Eve was wearing his clothes when she came down from upstairs had not gotten past them. “Eve was wearing....I mean was Eve coming...um...did you and Eve.....were you and Eve......” His mother was having a difficult time getting out what she wanted to say, but his father didn't.

  “Son, what your mother is so graciously trying to ask is did you and Eve had sex last night?”

  Adam closed his eyes and hesitated before answering. “I don’t know Dad.”

  His dad’s eyes widened and he kind of laughed unbelieving. “What do you mean you don’t know?” The words came out rushed. “Son, this is a serious matter, not only physically, but spiritually. You both took a vow of celibacy until you were married. I know because I was there to put the ring on your finger and watched as her parents did the same for her.” His father’s voice seemed to be getting quicker and higher as he spoke. His wife squeezed his hand again, and he paused letting her take over.

  “I think what your father is trying to say is, why would you not know if you had sex? We've made sure that you were educated about it. We went through the course at church and talked about it here at home together answering any questions you or your brother might have had before you took the ring covenant. Remember?”

  Adam placed his elbows up on the table and dropped his head into his upturned hands. “Yes ma'am, I remember.” She reached over and touched his arm lovingly.

  He let his head hang there in his hands and took a minute to collect himself. He finally lifted his head and ran his hands through his hair nervously before he let the words tumble out as they may. “When I say I don't know it’s because I really don’t know. I have no recollection of the act at al
l. When I got here last night and saw all of these people here. I freaked out, and Lucian took me to your office to talk.”

  His dad visibly grimaced, Adam hesitated then continued. “....then when Eve and I were walking out of your office together.......” Anxiously Adam shuffled around a little in his seat reciting what he did remember. “.......as we were walking out of your office someone handed me a drink and from that moment on my memories begin to fade until I had none at all 'til I woke up and was completely nude lying next to Eve who was also nude and passed out.”

  “Oh my word…..” His mother covered her mouth.

  “What does Eve think?” His father asked.

  He shrugged. “She pretty much said the same thing. Given the circumstances of how we woke up we just assumed that we did, neither of us knows for sure.”

  His dad frowned and sighed. “Okay, so what you are saying is that the two of you were so drunk that you don't remember?”

  Adam shook his head. “Oh no sir, I didn't drink anything, but Hawaiian Punch.” He was adamant about that.

  “So you’re saying that you only drank Hawaiian Punch, which let's face it was probably Hunch Punch.” His father reasoned as Adam stared at him in disbelief that his dad would even know the term let alone use it. Edom Grace gave a soft laugh.“Believe it or not, Adam, I was a teenager at one point in time in my life too, and I also know that the higher the alcohol level the less you'll be able to taste it especially in smaller portions doled out in a sweet drink. Then there is a strong possibility that you and Eve were given a roofie too.” His father frowned.

  He couldn't believe his dad was saying. Adam shook his head and shrugged again. “I guess that's a strong possibility. I mean because that’s all I drank last night and our cups were never empty. I was even....” His voice trailed a bit, “....kinda proud of myself that I wasn't drinking anything but Hawaiian Punch.”

  “Did you pour the punch yourself?” His mother asked.

  “No ma'am. It was always just.....there.”

  “And you just drank it?” She exclaimed.

  “Well, to me, it was just Hawaiian Punch." Adam shrugged. "I...I....was at home, comfortable, I guess and I didn't realize that it might have had something in it until this morning. When I woke up, I was in such a fog, my head pounded, the room was spinning, light hurt the hairs on my head…. and I was so uncoordinated that I couldn't even stand at first and just fell back down on the bed.” He lowered his head to the table ashamed. “It had to have had alcohol in it......and possible more. I really don't know Dad.” Tears burned the edges of his eyes again. He raised his head and looked up at the ceiling in an attempt at trying to keep them from falling. His attempt failed.

  Martha Grace spoke. “Okay, so what we know about you and Eve is a maybe?” Adam nodded his head in confirmation, his mother sighed. “Okay then. We'll take that for now.”

  Through his blurred vision Adam looked down at the red ruby ring on his left hand that belonged to his grandfather, the one that he had worn so proudly since the Abstinence 'til Marriage Ceremony at church. “Should I take it off, Mom?”

  She shook her head and glanced at her husband before giving her answer. “No son.” Her voice was kind and gentle. “We have all fallen short of the glory of God at one time or another." She shrugged. "We're human, honey and if you and Eve fell into your fleshly desires and did have sex before marriage, then let that ring be a reminder to you of God's unending mercies that are new every morning and a reminder to not fall again." Her smile was genuine and came from her eyes. "Make a renewed covenant with God today, son and…. if…. it turns out that you didn’t give into those desires just know that it is still the same covenant that you made in the first place.”

  His father reached across the table and touched his hand. “God is not a one trick pony Adam…He's not a one and done God. We have all failed Him in one way or another. We mess up and do things everyday that we shouldn't do. Like lie, judge, steal, kill, fornicate or covet. It's all sin to God. There are no levels of it to Him. Bottom line, sin is sin no matter the measure man puts on it, but we can be thankful that His mercies are new to us every morning, and we have another chance to start over and do this day better than the one before.” His dad ministering such words of wisdom to him was comforting despite everything that had happened. “If I were you though, I'd spend some serious time in prayer asking God to reveal to you what the two of you did. I think you'd feel better if you knew for sure, but if you never know then at least you've spent some time with Him reconnecting and making that bond between you and Him stronger. Does that make sense?”

  Adam agreed. “Yes sir and I will.” Adam pushed back from the table and prepared to stand. “May I go to my room now?”

  His parents looked at each other. “Yeah, this isn’t totally over, but we are done for now.”

  Adam got to his feet. “Yes sir, I know.” He pushed his chair back under the table and turned to go.

  “Adam?”

  Adam turned. “Yes sir?”

  “I would also pray that if the two of you were intimate that God takes that desire out of you. Remember in the Song of Solomon where it says awaken not my love before it is time?”

  “Yes sir, I remember that teaching from our What is Love class.”

  “Then you'll remember that your desire for it should stay in slumber too until it is time to be awakened and that your mate is the only one that should awaken it so your desire will be only for her and hers for you, right? That way you won't burn and yearn for it, distracting you from what God has called you to. Do you remember all of that too?”

  “Yes sir, I remember all of that. I'll ask Him to remove any desire that I might have for Eve that is not from Him. It's not fair that my future wife or her future husband have to live up to a memory that they weren't a part of.”

  “Wow, you did listen in that class didn't you?” His mother interjected and smiled greatly.

  “Yes, ma'am, I did.”

  Edom Grace squeezed his wife’s hand lovingly. “And I'll pray that God does not bless what we did, if we did anything, with a child…….neither of us are ready for that!”