“C’mon, give Uncle Adam a hug.” I glanced sidelong at my father before stepping forward and allowing myself to be wrapped up in his arms tightly. My stomach knotted slightly, but I wasn’t sure why before stepping away.
“Goodness, you’ve gotten old. I remember Zeke sending me photos of you as a baby... Well, you’re certainly no baby anymore.”
“Valentina recently turned 17; almost a woman.” I flushed, embarrassed by the topic of conversation as my father clapped a hand on my shoulder. “But age doesn’t change the fact that she is amazing around the house. She’s been wonderful with Joan, takes care of her and still manages to do all the cooking and cleaning. She’s a Godsend.”
I smiled, grateful for the praise. But I didn’t do it for that: this was my family. I was supposed to do whatever was necessary to help them.
“That’s why I think she’ll be perfect in helping you settle in.”
“Huh?” I turned to look at my father in surprise, he was sending me away?
“Uncle Adam has recently come home but he’s already got a job with the army. He’ll be working some odd shifts he asked if I could spare someone to help him set up house, do the cleaning and cooking until he settles in.”
But he was a grown man; he could do it himself. And I was needed here, if I didn’t help Mother – who would?
“Of course.” I smiled at him, knowing better than to argue or make a fuss. If this were what my father wanted, then he would have his own reasons for it.
“Perfect! I knew you would be only too happy to help.”
“Anything you need Uncle Adam...” I said almost wearily though my smile didn’t show it as I turned to face him.
“We’ll have lots of fun kiddo. You’ll wish you didn’t have to go home by the time it comes.”
“I’m sure you’re right,” I said as encouragingly as I could before looking at my father again, “when am I leaving?”
“Adam is going to stay for dinner but you’ll go with him tonight. Obviously, you’ll need to take your school work with you, talk to your sister and find out what your lessons will be for the next two weeks. That way you can arrange the right lessons to be brought with you.”
“Yes, sir.” I smiled again and excused myself as I trudged back to the house. Two weeks playing house for my uncle, it seemed like a strange request. I couldn’t shake the fact that I felt it was unnecessary for a grown man to need someone to cook and clean for him. Especially a man as disciplined as someone in the military would be.
I kicked my foot up against the house to knock the snow off before entering, another bout of shrieks welcomed me as I pushed the door open. Now I needed to find Juliana.
My sister had been homeschooling me since being passed the torch by my mother two years earlier at the onset of her disease. Mother had taught all my other siblings; I was the last one to finish and the only one who had ever hoped to go to university afterwards. As much as I loved the farm I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life on it. I couldn’t imagine myself marrying any of the farm boys on the neighboring properties either who would prefer to keep me at home as a vessel for their hordes of children. While I wanted kids, 12 like my parents had was excessive.
“Val, can you help with dinner?” Godric spoke as though I hadn’t any intention of helping, as though I didn’t help every single day.
“Of course,” I smiled, packing and schoolwork would have to wait until later.
A lot later as it turned out. Helping with dinner had proved to translate into “make dinner” while everyone pretended to set the table, and mostly stand around talking and drinking wine. Uncle Adam led the charge with the latter action, breaking out my father’s Vidal from several years ago. I wasn’t allowed to drink, the only time being when I took the sacrament at Christmas. Otherwise, I sat back and watched everyone get rosy cheeked and loud.
“Alright, dinner’s ready!” I shouted as loud as I could over the noise, carrying the roast into the dining room with effort. I set it down in front of my father’s seat before returning to the kitchen on several trips to bring out all the food for everyone.
I couldn’t help but wonder, darkly, what they would do if my mother hadn’t taught me to cook. Would they starve or would the next in line be the family slave?
That was an ungrateful thought.
“Oh my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you and I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell. But most of all: because I have offended you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life. Amen.” I pulled the cross out from under my shirt and kissed it before sitting down between my brother Michael and Uncle Adam.
“Ah, there’s my little helper. It smells good; I can see why Zeke wanted you to come feed me. I could never cook this good.”
He grinned at me and I smiled back, “Thanks. My mother taught me.”
“Well, there’s no doubt Joan was an amazing cook. I’m sure you’ve inherited all of her better traits.” His hand fell onto my knee, forcing my eyes to cast down and look at it.
“Godric, please say grace.” Everyone around the table shuffled for a second to take each other’s hands, but Uncle Adam didn’t take his hand from my leg. Taking a deep breath, I reached out and set my hand on his so the circle wouldn’t be broken as my brother spoke.
“Bless, O Lord this food that it may be an effective and salutary remedy for mankind. For Thy name’s sake, grant that all who partakes of it may obtain health of body and safety of soul. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.”
Uncle Adam had moved his hand, consequentially taking mine with it and set it inappropriately on his lap. He pressed my palm into it and as my family prayed I felt him massaging my hand against himself. My stomach knotted tightly and I felt sick and scared. I didn’t want to look up and seem disrespectful. But I didn’t know what to do. I let it happen, unsure what other option I had.
When Godric was finished, he let go of my hand and I quickly pulled it back to my own lap, mentally begging for forgiveness before trying to distract myself with the food.
Everyone was cheerful as they spoke, my siblings all seemed excited for Uncle Adam’s returned. They told stories about things he had done last time he was here, they made him sound like a fun-loving, amusing man. But I couldn’t stop thinking about what he’d done.
I also couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that I was supposed to live with this man for two weeks all alone. What if he did something worse? My stomach coiled again and I looked over at my father, wondering how I was supposed to explain to him what Uncle Adam had made me do.
When dinner was finished, most of the men went off to continue drinking and exchanging stories while I was left with dishes as my sisters disappeared. My hands were submerged in the soapy water of the sink when I heard the soft creak of someone entering the kitchen. I turned quickly to see who it was; feeling my heart sink when I saw Uncle Adam.
“Are you looking for something I could help you find?” I’d help with anything to get him out of here faster.
“I found it actually.” He stepped up behind me, his hands running over my hips as he pressed his body flush against mine.
“Uncle... Adam... This...”
“Shh, it’s alright. You’re safe.”
“I need to finish the dishes,” I said tensely, praying one of my brothers might enter the kitchen.
“That’s fine, we have all night... later.” He whispered in my ear, making me shudder with fear. He misinterpreted the action, his hands roaming once more making me cringe and feel dirty.
I had the most horrible feeling sewn in my stomach. I couldn’t go with him. Something bad was going to happen.
But then he pulled away, freeing me from his unwanted embrace and left the kitchen again. I finished the dishes quickly and hurried upstairs, closing my door and leaning my weight against it like that might protect him from coming to
get me.
If I couldn’t tell my dad about this – who could I tell that would believe me? Seven brothers but I couldn’t well think any of them would take me seriously. After all, why would the wonderful, saintly, honorable Uncle Adam do something as atrocious as that?
It was unthinkable. But it had happened, and I knew it was going to happen again.
Someone knocked on my door, not saying anything. I could feel my heart pounding, my head telling me it was Uncle Adam. Slowly getting up from the ground I moved over to the closet and as quietly as I could I slipped inside and hid behind the clothes that belonged to my sisters and me.
The door creaked open and I could’ve sworn I was going to throw up from the anxiety and nerves. Whoever it was didn’t say anything as they looked around the empty room and left again.
I had to go with him tonight father said; I couldn’t though. I wouldn’t. I steeled my resolve and carefully padded out of the closet, heading back to the door. I stuck my head out into the hallway and crept out. I needed to get my father away from Uncle Adam...
“There you are.” My entire body shuddered slightly as I spun around, expecting to find Uncle Adam but instead my father was watching me with an arched eyebrow. “Adam is ready to go.”
“Da... I don’t want to go with him.” “Well, you don’t have a choice Valentina.”
I frowned, licking my lips and trying again, “at the dinner table, during grace... Uncle Adam, he... He made me touch him. Inappropriately.” I felt my cheeks burn as I cast my eyes down waiting for his response.
“I doubt that.” He said firmly, “God punishes liars Valentina. He’ll split that wicked tongue of yours in Hell for lying.”
“It’s not a lie! Da, he did... Please... don’t make me go with him. What if he...” He smacked me then, hard I started in surprise, eyes widening and staring at him.
“How dare you accuse my brother of something as depraved and vile as that? Now Valentina, you are going to go with him tonight and you will seek repentance for your lies. And when Adam feels you have sufficiently made up for your sins you will continue to pray more. Now go and pack or I will do it for you.”
My eyes brimmed with tears that burned as I stared up at him. I knew he wouldn’t believe me, but I didn’t expect him to punish me by sending me with Adam indefinitely.
“Yes, sir,” I said weakly, turning away from him and walking back to my room defeated. I numbly packed my bag with essentials only, taking my time still before I couldn’t stall anymore. I had been nothing but a good daughter from the time I could talk. But here my father was: condemning me like I was a horse to be traded.
Sullenly I descended the stairs, walking past the living room filled with my siblings and not even one of them noticed me leaving.
“Ready?” Adam smiled in that way that made my stomach twist and knot. He knew he had won, but won what exactly?
“Yes, sir.”
“Kiss your father goodbye. You’ll see him on Sunday for church.”
“Bye, da...” I said quietly I was surprised he could hear me as I leaned in and kissed his cheek.
“C’mon Valentina.” Adam pulled the door open and started toward his truck. I cast one more lingering look on my father, silently pleading him to change his mind.
But when he said nothing, barely even looking at me, I turned and walked out of my home, as it turned out, forever.
Chapter 2
At first, living with Uncle Adam was fine. He acted as if the exchange at the dining room table hadn’t happened and I barely saw him. Faithful to the story that he would be working strange hours he was almost never home, and when he was he slept.
The two weeks went by quickly, and as they neared the end I grew excited about going home. I even started to believe that I must’ve dreamt what had happened at the dinner table. I was exhausted by my siblings and my constant need to take care of my mother. I made excuses for myself and Uncle Adam.
I had to admit his house was far smaller than ours and much simpler to clean. Making meals for two people was much less time consuming than for 14. This appeased me far more than doing almost all the work at the farmhouse.
But then two weeks passed, and I didn’t go home. Three came and went in the blink of an eye, and then four and I started to worry. Adam had stopped going to church, which consequentially meant had I. He got more and more used to his shifts at work, and I saw him more frequently. I wanted to ask about going home but in the back of my mind the fear of drawing attention to myself kept me silent.
It wouldn’t have mattered in the end. I realized that now. He was biding his time, letting me get comfortable my guard was down when he was ready to spring. At first it was brushes of his hand along the low of my back. He would graze my breast when he reached for something making it seem like an accident. He came up behind me in the kitchen to get something and pressing himself far too close for comfort.
My nerves began to get bad I couldn’t sleep, but I was exhausted by my constant desire to be on guard. I wanted to go home.
One day while he was at work I finally gave in and let myself sleep, doing in a ball on the couch. He woke me when I felt the top button on my dress open and I shrunk away, batting him away from me. He laughed as though he didn’t care.
No matter what I did or said, it didn’t stop him, and eventually I lost the will to fight. As much as I wanted to shut down, turn my conscience away from what was happening, I couldn’t. I was hyperaware of everything that was happening it only made it worse.
After that it didn’t stop, it grew more frequent and eventually I resolved to run away. I didn’t get far; he cornered me with his truck threatening to run me over if I didn’t go back with him.
I considered it for a moment, wouldn’t death be better than this life?
But then I still needed to absolve my sins. I must’ve done something in my life for this to happen to me. There had to be something about my demeanor that had encouraged him to believe I was available for his use like this.
He kept me locked in a walk-in closet after that. He wouldn’t even dignify me with a bedroom. When he needed, or wanted something from me, he took me out of the closet, took what he needed and put me back like I was a toy.
After a while, I realized I was dying anyway, perhaps I should have called his bluff that day on the road and spared myself the dramatic decaying. My days disappeared, time became obsolete and I lay there on the floor: a broken shell of who I used to be.
One day the door opened, I laid there and waited for it to come, but it didn’t.
“Valentina?” The voice was kind, gentle, and concerned. He crouched down next to me, brushing my matted and dirty hair out of my eyes as he frowned sadly at me. As I turned to meet his gaze, I felt my stomach knot. I could see in his eyes he knew what had happened, I could see he had the power to stop it... But who was he? Why hadn’t he?
“I’ve come to take you away Valentina, I’m going to pick you up. I’m sorry if this hurts.” He lifted me up, cradling me carefully in his arms as he turned and left the closet.
“Who... Who are you?” My voice was horse from weeks of disuse and crying. It ached as much as my body did even when I didn’t use it.
He looked down at me, his bright blue eyes bearing down into my soul for a moment before he spoke again, “my name is Atlas.”
I frowned. I didn’t know anyone by that name. It was such a strange name.
“How did you find me?” I said quietly, trying to blink through the exhaustion that was crawling through my body.
“I will answer all your questions later, for now I’m going to help you sleep. When you wake up, I promise you will be better.” I couldn’t imagine how that was possible when my abused body felt broken beyond repair but I didn’t have the chance to ask any more questions when suddenly my mind simply gave in and I slept.
When I woke again, I was in the comfiest bed imaginable. I was warm and I felt my strength returning to me. I was dirty though, but I was thankful th
e kind stranger hadn’t cleaned me himself.
Pushing the blankets off me I looked around the room, it was plain but everything I might need was there. It didn’t give me any indication of where I was though. To my right, there was an attached bathroom where I thankfully managed to shower and take stock of my condition. I was gaunt and bruised, but I couldn’t feel the pain anymore. I washed the tangles out of my hair, brushed my teeth and finished, staring at myself in the mirror until I started to feel uncomfortable about it.
As I left the bedroom and came into the small, attached apartment, I felt a panic and worry seize up in my chest. Had one captor taken me from the first and brought me to a home exclusively for his use?
Someone knocked on the door making me turn to look at it in worry. Taking a deep breath, I slowly made my way over to it and opened it a crack. Atlas stood there, smiling gently at me.
“Good morning Valentina, may I come in?” I swallowed and nodded, stepping away to give him room to enter. As he got closer, I kept my distance from him.
“I’m not here to hurt you.” He said, walking past me and sitting on the couch. He looked at me like he expected me to join him, I did, protecting myself by sitting in the chair across from him. He smiled, all right with my decision as he stared at me for a long moment.
“You look better; are you feeling a little better?” I thought about it and shrugged slightly.
“Well, I hope you’re not too uncomfortable. I didn’t want to overwhelm you too much, hence the simple apartment but if you want anything... please tell me and I will arrange for it to be brought to you.
“Thank you,” I said quietly, “but why are you doing this?”
He folded his hands in his lap and bowed his head slightly, “I know that what I’m about to tell you is going to sound strange. Everything you’ve been taught about God and religion will only make this seem more fantastical and ridiculous, but I hope that you might keep an open mind...” I conceded and nodded my head for him to continue, a frown no less creasing my brow. “Good, alright. Well, my name is Atlas. I am a Titan. Titans were a race of Elder Gods who ruled on Mount Olympus before the Greek Gods you would know as Olympians took over.”
Grace of Gods Boxset: Reincarnated Greek Gods YA/NA Series Page 26
