Martha shook her head sadly. The young man‘s father had pushed and bullied him to the point he thought of another place as his home. It’s a shame the way Ed tries to dominate his wife and kids, but it’s none of my business. There are worse fathers out there, I suppose.… she thought.
“Where‘s mom?”
“Oh, she’s in the sunroom.”
“Thanks.” he replied, and gave her a peck on the cheek.
Walking through the house, he felt like an outsider as he looked at several family photos.
He stopped, looking at a picture of him and some of his buddies in Afghanistan, four of whom hadn’t made it back home. He himself had been a completely different person before he had been sent there. Before, he had loved partying, having fun with his friends, and had been much more lax and outgoing. It was those traits that were the reason his dad demanded that he join the service to begin with, to make him more responsible.
He ended up fighting in a foreign country, had seen things…done things, in that place, that had forever changed him. Don’t think about it…you can’t change what happened… he thought as he closed his eyes. But this time, the memories weren’t going away that easily. It was all because of you, you’re the reason she was…...
Hearing a vacuum cleaner whir to life, he snapped out of it and began walking again.
He found his mother in the brightly colored sunroom, just as Martha had said. It was the place he and his family used to have breakfast together, when he was much younger.
She was watching the same buck that always crept to the edge of the woods, to nibble at her daylilies. Recently, she had given up on trying to keep him away, and simply moved her more expensive ones closer to the house where it wouldn’t venture. Mesmerized, she hadn’t noticed he had walked into the room
“Mother.” he said softly, then leaned down and kissed her cheek softly.
Startled, she turned and looked up at him, then smiled warmly. While she loved all of her sons, truth be told, Jonus had always been her heart. He had always been such a sweet, gentle soul, and she wished her husband could see, understand, and appreciate what rare and precious qualities those were in any man or woman these days. Lovingly cupping his face with both hands, she kissed both of his cheeks. “Joe, darling, how are you?”
“I’m Ok, mom.”
She motioned for him to sit next to her, patting the seat. “Tell momma what you’ve been up to. Are you still staying at the Riley farm? Have you met someone special?”
Zamora… he immediately thought, but said nothing. “No one yet, mom , you’re still my special girl.” he teased, giving her a wink and a bright smile.
“Of course he’s still there, they don’t care if he makes anything of his life or not. He prefers to be there, instead of with his own family!“
Turning, they both saw the head of the family, looking at them both grimly.
“Hey, dad.“ he mumbled, beginning to feel slightly queasy.
Ignoring the greeting, Ed plowed on, looking directly at his wife. “Look at how you have to practically beg him to come and see you! YOU, his own MOTHER!” Turning to Jonus, he continued. “Ha! I bet when it comes to that woman over there, Aisha, that her name? I bet you break your neck to do her bidding, don’t you boy?” he snapped sarcastically.
Mom has to practically beg because I know YOU’RE going to be here, Dad! Just waiting for a chance to pounce, to remind me what a lost cause I am to you… he thought bitterly. He glanced at his mother for help, knowing that none would be forthcoming. She was wringing her hands nervously, staring at the floor like a child who had been chastised. Are me, Connell and Aisha the only people on the face of this earth who aren’t afraid of him? Well, don’t upset mom, just play it cool…
“What, I raise you, and you won‘t even show me the common courtesy of answering my question?” he demanded.
Looking at him steadily, he replied as calmly as he could. “Yes, I’m still at the Riley farm. I’m planning on transferring my credits from UVA to Mountain Empire Community College, and finish up my degree. And since my trust from Granddaddy is free for me to use now, I was thinking about buying the hardware store in town.”
“A hardware store? A hardware store?” he demanded, a look of unbelief stamped on his face. This family controls over twenty percent of all coal mining operations in the South Eastern United States, and you plan on piddling your life away selling nuts and bolts in a Goddamn HARDWARE STORE?” he nearly screamed.
“Ed, please calm dow….” Darcy began, but looked back down at the floor immediately as her husband turned and glared at her.
“As if that wasn’t bad enough, he’s going to that community college with the rest of the dead beats. Only people that go there are welfare losers trying to get a grant for their drugs. Unbelievable!” he fumed.
Complete silence followed as he strolled to the bar across the room, where he poured himself a stiff drink. “Where did I go wrong with you boy? Didn’t I kick your ass enough?” he said as he stared at Jonus again. “Can you answer me that?”
Accustomed to his stinging words, Jonus simply sighed and looked at his mother, who had began weeping in complete silence, not wanting to anger his dad. Pulling a clean handkerchief from his shirt pocket, he opened one of her hands, which had been balled up into a tiny fist, and placed it there. “Mom, I better be going.” he said, and kissed her forehead. Getting up, he began to walk.
In a desperate voice, he heard his mother plead, “Ed, PLEASE, for ME, let it be! I want to spend more time with my baby!”
Frustrated, and feeling uncharacteristically guilty, Ed merely turned his back and poured another drink.
“Jonus! Hey, bro!” a familiar voice rang out.
He stopped as his two younger brothers came into the room and greeted him with pats on the back.
As they talked, Ed watched them in silence, brooding, and taking an occasional sip of bourbon. Once again he found himself feeling irrational jealousy and sadness towards his eldest son. The young man had always had a way of making people want to be around him, be overprotective of him. All he had ever wanted to do was mold them into men, men who were feared and respected. Why couldn’t Jonus see that? Yet everyone was always against him, he knew it in his heart, even though no one had ever had the courage to say so.
“Hey bro, I heard Ebony was mad at you again.” Jonus teased Patrick.
“We‘re just having a problem with some folks not minding their own, business but we’re cool.” he replied with a grimace, giving their father a pointed look.
“Well, why don’t you two come over to my place sometime, we’ll grill some burgers and steaks. Connell had a new place built for his family, and let me move into the old one. Matter of fact, why don’t you come too, mom, Tim.” he said.
“Oh, I don’t rate an invitation?” his dad demanded. “Not that I would ever lower myself to step foot on that place again, but it‘s the thought that counts.”
Why the fuck do I even try? he thought. “Listen, I better be getting home. All of you call me when you’re ready for our little shindig. It‘s a standing invitation.”
“That’s not your Godamn HOME!” Ed exploded, slamming his glass down on the bar hard enough to shatter it. “You should be ashamed of yourself! I raise you, try to give you every advantage I can, every luxury and opportunity, and this is the thanks I get? It’s that woman that changed you, isn’t it? She turned ALL of you against me didn’t she?” he finished irrationally.
Angrily, Patrick spoke up. “Geez, dad! Cant he come here once without you running him off! What is it with you? First you pump Ebony with all that crap about not moving out of here to be with me, and now you’re insulting Jonus just because he doesn’t want to go to Harvard and work for Bill Gates afterwards? That’s right, we heard you yelling before we made it five feet inside the house. What‘s next, dad? I know you said all that crap to Ebony hoping I would move back here just to be with her, so you could keep me under your thumb. You KNOW I wa
nt her to come live with ME.”
Darcy gasped at her son’s outburst, and began wringing her hands again.
Timothy, always the peacemaker, walked to the center of the room and held out his hands in a placating manner. “Everybody, just calm down, alright? Nothing will be gained by shouting insults and accusations at each other. Pat, Jonus, why don’t we all just grab some beers and go out to the barn. We can sit down and talk this out, what do you say? Dad probably just had a bad day, and all this yelling is nerve wracking for mom.”
“Nahhh, thanks anyway, bro. I’m outta’ here.“ Jonus said. “Catch you guys later!” Kissing his mom once more, he turned and left.
Ed watched his son leave, thinking I’m going to get my boy back from that woman. My boys may not like me, but I love them, they just can’t see it yet. I’ve worked so hard giving them the best things in life, and I’ll be damned if I’ll stand idly while they mess things up for themselves. They’ll do what I want, and LIKE it!
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Zamora was loaded down, her sister and Helen had made her try on clothing in several stores, and she now had more outfits than she had ever owned in her entire life. If father saw me in this tight, revealing clothing , he would lock me in the meditation room for a month… she thought as she stared at the stranger looking back at her in the mirror. She looked completely different. Helen and Aisha had went in halves and paid for a very expensive make over for her. For the first time in her life, she had had her hair styled, was wearing expensive makeup, had new clothes, was wearing exotic perfume, and had had a manicure and pedicure. The bags they were carrying were all loaded with her new clothing, perfume, makeup, female toiletry items, and lingerie. Smiling, she now knew why Jonus had turned red at the mention of Victoria’s Secret. I cant wait till he sees the new me.. she thought, then giggled. She laughed out loud as she listened to Helen, who was teasing her sister.
“Girl, that’s just nasty! A banana shake, chicken and cheese tostados, with refried beans? You’re gonna’ start tootin’ up a storm and stink us out! If those ain’t ingredients for a fart bomb, I don’t know what is!” Helen fussed.
“Yeah, well, I’m eating for three, so hush.” Aisha shot back airily.
“Yeah, well, don’t come crying to us when your ass no longer will fit in them expensive clothes you own, after you drop your load.” Helen countered
As they badgered each other back and forth, Zamora slowly tuned them out, thinking only about her date the next day with Jonus. He was taking her to the college and the fair. She knew what she was going to wear, the jeans and white sweater. Oh, I cant wait to see his face… she thought.
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The Tribe Of Eden Compound
Mary peeked from her hiding place as she watched the men gather in the meeting hall. Years earlier, she had found a vantage point where she could remain well hidden, and eavesdrop on the elder’s meetings.
At the moment, her father-in-law, the Prophet, was fit to be tied. After Liz and Zamora had managed to escape, Liz’s aunt had went straight to the police when she discovered the abuse the girl’s father had inflicted on her, the little brat. That same morning the State Social Services department, accompanied by dozens of State Troopers, had swarmed the compound. Many children had been taken from their parents, mostly because of their father’s behavior, and placed in protective custody, including Liz‘s brothers and sisters. Both departments had informed Ezekiel and Jeddah that they would be doing frequent surprise inspections to check on the children who had been left behind. Several scared, fed up women, including all of Samuel’s wives, had chosen to leave along with their children, while they had the chance. The State police had arrested Liz’s father and mother both for abuse and cruelty to children. Before they left, they questioned Jeddah about Zamora’s disappearance, but since there was no proof he had harmed her, chose not to take him into custody. This was only because several of the fleeing women had signed affidavits testifying that she had ran away on her own.
Hearing Ezekiel’s voice, she listened even closer, curious what her husband had to say. She smiled to herself, thinking she had never seen this much excitement before, not even when Aisha had managed to escape.
Ezekiel stood, resting a hand on his father’s shoulder. “Father, this has to stop. We could ALL lose our children! Please, I beg of you, let the ones who wish to leave, do so. They don’t want to live by our ways anyway, so lets just be done with them! We cannot, we SHOULD NOT, make any man or woman stay, if they feel this is no longer the place for them. I truly don‘t feel that‘s God‘s will, father.” he said. He himself had wanted to defect while the police had been present, but simply couldn’t leave his mother behind. For all his father’s faults, which were many, his mother still cared for him. It was also because he felt an obligation to the ones who had been left behind, as only he had had enough influence with his father to help ease their suffering, in what little ways he could. His was the only voice of reason left in the entire compound. But his father was becoming more and more out of control, more irrational, by the day.
Jeddah glared at his son and thought, Mary was right, he and Selma cannot be trusted. They were tainted! Raising his tattered bible, he turned and screamed at the assembled elders. “SATAN has crept into our midst, and has Seduced Liz Beth and Zamora, and now Liz’s father and mother have been taken from us by the demons, just because they chose to obey the will of God! Just because they wanted to raise children who would be Godly! They were arrested for enforcing one of our Lord’s tenets, ’Spare the rod and spoil the child!’ Brother Samuel had to deal with the shame of my own daughter, running away, and she and Liz Beth brought about circumstances that turned the rest of his wives against him! They must be found and punished! God will punish us ALL if they do not repent from the evil they have brought upon all true believers!”
The elders, everyone except Ezekiel, cried out to Jeddah, falling to their knees and holding their hands up in supplication. Some began weeping, looking to the heavens and begging for mercy.
Ezekiel looked at his father, completely horrified. My God, he’s talking about actually hunting down his own daughter, and someone else‘s, and dragging them back here!
“Are you with me, brothers?” his voice continued, followed by shouts and more pleas for mercy.
Trying one last time to reason with him, Ezekiel leaned close and said, “But, father, if we go and try to kidnap Zamora or Liz, we’ll be arrested. This is insane! I refuse go to prison and lose my son, all because of your wounded pride!”
As quickly as a striking cobra, the Prophet dealt him a vicious backhand to the face, and shouted, “SILENCE!!!”
Suddenly the room fell deathly silent, everyone holding their breath, unable to believe what they had just witnessed.
“Leave me! ALL OF YOU, except YOU, brother Samuel.”
The men scurried away frantically, trying to get out before Ezekiel could speak. No one wanted to be around, in case they were asked to choose sides between their two leaders.
Glaring at his father, Ezekiel rubbed his jaw, turned on his heels, and followed the rest of the men out.
Turning to Samuel, the Prophet said, “Go find Mary, you are the only two I can trust with this holy mission.”
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Chapter 15
Several months later
Months Later
Tired of studying, Zamora tossed her book to the side and sighed. In the months since coming to live with Aisha and Connell, her life had change for the better. She was treated as an adult, and respected as an impendent woman. She smiled, thinking about the day Jonus had taken her to the community college. There had been so many choices it had almost overwhelmed her. He had been very patient with her, helping her register and whatnot. Aisha had insisted she use some of their grandfather’s money he had left to her, to pay for her books and tui
tion. Jonus had gifted her with a sweatshirt with the college emblem embossed across the chest. That sweatshirt was now her most prized possession.
Getting up from the porch swing, she stretched contentedly, taking in the lovely scenery around her. She was alone at the moment, Aisha and Connell had taken the children to church. She still found it hard to accept that she could make her own decisions about whether or not she wanted to attend church services. As far as she was concerned, she had had enough of religion to last ten lifetimes, and had politely passed on the offer to join them.
A loud clap of thunder and a bolt of lightning in the distance startled her, as an unexpected thunderstorm rolled in. Seeming to come from nowhere, heavy rain began falling. She inhaled deeply, the clean scent of rain soaking into fertile soil intoxicating her. Kicking off her Keds, she ran like a child down the porch steps and into the middle of the front yard. Spreading her arms wide, she allowed the cool liquid to cascade down her face. A feeling of complete and total freedom ran through her, and it was exhilarating. She had never been allowed to release her inner child, even during childhood, at the compound. Giggling, she jumped right in the middle of a nice sized puddle that had already began forming, and started kicking around in the water. The larger and deeper the puddle grew, the more playful she became, and after several minutes, she really began to get carried away. Suddenly, her series of high kicks caused her bare feet to slip out from underneath her, and down she went, hard, onto on her backside.
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