SHIFT THE WEDDING

         Ethan and Faith waited until Joshua arrived in Urbandale in mid-morning. Marilyn was overwhelmed that her two children were in her house. Although she wasn't prepared when Faith came, she was prepared for Joshua. She cooked special meals and took a day's leave from the orphanage. They stood on the porch as Joshua's car eased into the compound. 

      When he parked his car, he waited inside for a moment, looking at his mother from the car.  It would have been unbelievable if he had not seen that face 

 He knew Faith was their mother's look-alike, a carbon copy of their mother if he had not seen that face, he wouldn't have believed it. He slowly got out of his car. His mother was beaming with smiles and was eagerly waiting for him to come up to her. 

      He saw Ethan, but he didn't have the strength to think about him, he walked up slowly to his mother and she hugged him tightly. 

       "Oh, my son, oh, my son," his mother cried while hugging him. 

      He couldn't even hug back because he was too shocked to hug his mom. Faith kept blinking away her tears and kept her head on Ethan's chest. 

       After having an almost silent breakfast, they all proceeded to the living room. Joshua had not said anything, because he was too confused and surprised to say something. His mother kept glancing at him.  

       Marilyn was a bit surprised that Joshua grew to become quiet and reserved. He was rebellious and outspoken when she knew him at eight. He was playful and made promises when their father was not around or when she wasn't crying, but the man here had barely said anything and he doesn't smile at all. He hasn't smiled since he came, even when they had attempted to crack some jokes at the dining table. 

      She noticed something else. Faith and Joshua really don't get along. Faith was pretending well but Joshua wasn't. There was this coldness between them. It was never there when they were kids. They were very close and were fond of each other, Joshua was very fond of Faith. But now, she saw no fondness. She noticed that it was Faith who seemed livelier and did most of the talking. 

     They sat down around the couches. Faith and her mother sat on the twin couch, Sekani curled up between them. Joshua sat across from them while Ethan sat on an adjacent couch. Faith cleared her throat. 

       "I know you have a lot of questions to ask, but I and mom would try as much as possible to clear most of them. You knew what happened, at least a part of it, the ones dad wanted us to know." 

      "He is not my father," Joshua said making a full sentence for the first time since he arrived. His voice was husky. 

     "Alright, Mr Alfred," Faith said and glanced at her mother. 

       "Why did you leave without us then?" Joshua directed to his mom. 

      Faith handed him the letters.  "These are the letters she wrote to her friend Ms Rose, now Mrs Green." 

      "I saw when you wrote most of these letters," Joshua said looking at the bunch of crumpled sheets in his hands. 

       "I'm glad you did because it would help you understand what really happened and if you don't understand any, I will be willing to explain from what I heard from Mrs Rose and Father Bernard," Faith said. 

       "You met Father Bernard?" 

       "He was the one that told me mom's whereabouts." 

   Joshua started reading the letters and kept exclaiming as he read more and more of them. After reading Faith and her mother told him the part that they knew and at the end, he was shedding tears. 

       He hugged his mother and kept muttering,  " Sorry, I hated you all these years." 

     His mother kept patting his back and kept saying, "It's fine." 

        After the mother and son time, Joshua smiled at his mother, Marilyn clutched her chest and gasped in surprise, even Faith was surprised. She had not seen what his smile looked like since she met him. 

       "I love you mom," he said. 

      "I love you too, my son." 

      "I fulfilled my dream of making money and getting a big house, except that you and Angel ain't there." 

      "I heard you left home, why?" his mother asked. 

     Joshua's eyes fell and his entire demeanour changed. Faith who was now seating with Ethan grabbed his hand. 

       "Do you think, this is going to go well?" she whispered in Ethan's ear. 

   Ethan shrugged.  "Let's see how it goes." 

     Marilyn stared at him for a while when he didn't talk, and then she smiled.  "I completely understand. I knew you couldn't stand your dad. Did you ever fight him?" 

      "Once," Joshua replied, still looking down. 

       "You always said you would do that, not that I support it though, but did you beat him?" 

        "I didn't have the mind to." 

      "I knew you would grow into a good boy. I just feel bad for your sister, none of us took her along when we left and she had to suffer the punishment and torture for all those..." 

       "I left home because I am gay!" Joshua blurted. 

     Faith froze. Time stopped. Their mother froze and everywhere went dead silent for a while. 

       Marilyn stared at him for a while in shock.    

    "I will leave if you can't stand me," Joshua said and made to stand, but his mother drew him down. 

      "Joshua wait!" She looked into his eyes.  "Whatever you are, you are still my son and that is the most important thing. Come here, will you?" 

      Joshua fell into his mother's arms and wept. Faith wiped her tears and Ethan hugged her. 

     Joshua pulled away from his mother.  "I didn't leave with Angel because she didn't want to." 

        "You never asked me!" Faith snapped. 

       "If I had, would you have agreed to leave with me?" Faith was quiet.  "You see? I couldn't take someone who only judged me and kicked me out of their room and went ahead and told her father about it." 

       "He...! Is your father too and I don't know what gave you the conception that I told on you, but Father Bernard said Mr Alfred, your father heard you sneaking out of your room and he thought something was going on between me and you, only for him to eavesdrop to hear you come out!"

       "What?" 

        "So, don't you ever pin it on me! Anyone in my shoes would have been confused at that moment, we were brought us up that way. He put it in us that being gay is sinning. I had never lived outside that house before to have known what everyone else thought about it and you knew how scared I was of him. So don't you dare say I judged you and refused to follow you."

      "Even those days I called on the phone? You always sounded like you never wanted anything to do with me, those first days, you answered straight making me understand that you were fine without my gay ass." 

       "Every single phone call, dad always sat there with me. He had me answer every phone call while he sits there watching me. I couldn't say anything to you. If you were the one, he urges me to keep listening and when I don't say all that you said to me, he hits me. I didn't want to get hurt every single day you called, so I had to keep the conversation straight, short and meaningless because I didn't want to get hurt and you called almost every day, imagine getting hit every day for the same reason." She was crying now. She sniffed. "Because of that, he stopped me from going to school. I started having private lessons on the porch. He didn't even trust the tutor enough to let her come into the house. So, don't you dare sit there and think whatever you want to think." 

        What sort of a monster was that man? I could strangle him with my bare hands, Ethan thought. 

       Joshua was dumbfounded, he glanced down, looking dejected. Marilyn stood up. 

       "So, this is what has been going on? Why you two didn't fulfil what you started together? Faith, I'm sorry for what you passed through and Joshua I'm sorry for what you passed through too. It was all my fault, I should have prayed first before I married that man. I am sorry. You don't have to fight each other because of him, he is dead now and can't put you apart anymore. "

      Faith stood up and hugged her mother. "If you never married him, you wouldn't have had us, so stop blaming yourself. My friend got stabbed, as I told you yesterday and we have been here for a couple of days now. We would be on our way back to LA, as we have work and a wedding to plan." She smiled at her mother. 

       "I wish you could spend more days here, I will be happy." 

        "I would be so glad to do that, but mom, we need to go. We would come back again and spend more time. Take care of yourself." 

         "Take care of yourself too, my love." She hugged her daughter so tight.  "Ain't you going to talk to your brother?" 

       Faith glanced at Joshua who was still kneeling on the floor and still keeping his head down. "He is too bitter to have anything to do with me, so, I have stopped trying. His boyfriend is my best friend though. See you next time, mom! I would love for you to come to LA and live the city life." 

        "I will come someday." 

   Ethan stood up and hugged Marilyn.  "It was nice meeting you ma'am, you did a great job giving birth to Faith." 

      Marilyn chuckled.  "My son-in-law you are a good man. Thank you for loving Faith and for being a helping hand when she needed it. She has told me so much about you for these few hours." 

    Ethan smiled.  "I love her so much and I know she loves me too. Keep praying for us to sail through." 

       "Of course, of course, that's my job."

     Ethan and Faith went into the room to carry their already parked bags. Marilyn saw them off to their car and started shedding tears again as they were about to leave. They exchanged hugs and kisses again before going into the car. Joshua stood at the porch watching them. 

      When Ethan and Faith finally left and his mother came back up the porch, he squinted his eyes at his mother. 

        "Son-in-law?"

     His mother looked at him and smiled. "He is going to marry your sister." 

        "Did he say that, mommy?" 

         "Actions speak louder than words. I see the way he looks at her." 

          "Did he mention he is a billionaire?" 

          "I think he did. Enough about him. My instincts tell me he is a good man. Look at you, look how huge you have grown. My big baby." 

        Joshua hugged drew his mother into his arms and she hugged him tightly. 

           Ethan and Faith got back to LA in four hours, they had a heavy lunch and had some rest until the evening before they set out to Danny and Nora's. 

       Danny and Nora were watching the TV together in their living room, Danny placed his head on Nora's thighs. His phone rang. He took it up, it was one of the bodyguards he had placed outside. 

       "Yes?" he said once he answered. 

        "There is a man and a woman, by the names Ethan and Faith, they said they are your friends." 

       "Oh, my God!" Danny sat up and Nora stared at him in confusion.  "Let them in, quickly." 

        "Who's that?" Nora asked. 

         "Our best man and chief bridesmaid." 

          "What?!" Nora jumped up. 

    Ethan and Faith came to the door and Danny quickly unlocked the door.  "Hey man," he said and stretched out his hand.  "Welcome." 

      Ethan took his hand.  "What's with the bodyguards?"

       "For security." 

      Nora had almost hugged the breath out of Faith. "Welcome, babe!" Nora said cheerfully. 

        "You are crushing me with the hug, but thank you though," Faith said in a strangled voice. 

   The couples went into the living room. 

       "So, Faith give me all the juicy gist. I want to hear them right now." 

    Faith chuckled.  "Can you let us rest first?" 

       "Faith, I know you, if you haven't rested, you won't be here, so give me all the details now." 

         "Well, do you have food here? I'm famished," Faith said smiling. 

       "What are you doing?" Nora asked. 

  Faith playfully ignored her.  "Since you don't know that you would give food to the visitor let me face who I came for." She turned to Danny.  "Danny, I'm so sorry for what happened, I hope it's healing fast?" 

       "Yeah. It's not a deep wound." 

       "What are the cops saying about it?" Ethan asked. 

       "They are still carrying out their investigations," Danny said and raised his shirt. 

     Faith clutched her mouth.  "Oh, my God. That cruel. Are there any possible suspects?" 

         "None yet, he hid his face well. I have been racking my brain to try and find out who it was but I can't think of anyone." 

         "This is serious," Ethan muttered. 

   Nora stood up as the tension was building.  "I'll go get us some drinks," she said and started towards the kitchen. 

      "I will be right back guys," Faith said and followed Nora to the kitchen.  "How is the soon to be bride carrying on?" 

      Nora turned to face her.  "Well, aside from the incident that happened days ago, you can see I'm glowing." 

        "Yes, I can see that for sure. So can I help with anything?" 

        "I know you came to tell me how it all went. I'm eager to hear. What's your mom like?" 

         "She is a sweet mom." Faith took out her phone and gave it to Nora.  "Here, see what she looks like." 

       Nora took the phone and stared at it. Her eyes dilated and her jaw dropped.  "Get out!" she said and looked at Faith.  "Why do you two look so much alike? You could pass as twins." 

        "Except she is older than me, Nora. 

        "Well, this picture doesn't say so. Oh my God, she is so pretty." 

         "Yeah, she is. It's beauty and the beast in her case with my dad." 

       "Well, I guess Douglas or Joshua looks like your dad and he is not ugly in any way." 

      Faith chuckled.  "I like how you play ignorance. You know the kind of beast I'm talking about. My mother was ever so sweet and my father although he was good looking too was a beast. My mom went through a lot. I could sue my father's corpse if I have to." 

       "Oh, my God, he must have been so mean." 

     "Beyond mean." 

         "I will like to hear it all, but first, I will go and give the guys their drinks."

      "Take your time." 

   Nora poured some juice into two glasses and handed one to Faith. She took two bottles of beer and went out of the kitchen. She returned after a while and sat down beside Faith. 

      "Now, spill." 

     "Joshua came over," Faith said. 

     "He went to Iowa?" 

      "Yes. He has been angry with me all this while because he thought I judged him even after he left, he thought I never missed him. He never knew my father was behind me during those times he called." 

       "Did you tell him that?" 

      "I did and I also told him how I got hit after every call he made to me. He was dumbfounded and I had to leave him to feel his guilt—no, not guilt. To feel what I felt." 

       "It's enough, I am glad that he finally knows the truth, you both know the truth and your long lost mother has been found. You can now get the mother and daughter feeling now." 

       Faith curved her lips upwards and nodded.  "Thank you for being here with me all these years. For playing mother and bearing with my nonsenses." 

       "What are friends for?" 

       "If not for the inconveniences!" they chorused and laughed. 

        "You tried for me too. You were beside me too. Come here," Nora said and spread her arms

. 

      Faith fell into them and they hugged each other, patting each other's backs. 

        After the hug, Faith started telling Nora everything that took place. 

    "I just want to surprise her, she has been through a lot and I know that I can't take every pain away, but I just want her to be happy forever," Ethan said and dropped his bottle of beer on the stool. 

      Danny chuckled.  "That was how I felt when I met Nora, I just knew she was the one and I couldn't even see myself being with someone else. I am so comfortable with her like I am so used to her." 

        "Same way I feel for Faith, her brother calls her angel and for once, I agree with him, I like it better. I have not known her for long, but I'm certain she is the one." 

           "You can't even know someone in a lifetime." Danny's phone rang and he picked it up. It was the police. He raised his forefinger for Ethan to pardon him. He slid to the green icon.  "Hello, officer."

        "Mr Kings, I'm calling with regards to your upcoming wedding." 

     "Alright, what's up?" 

     "From our investigations, we found out that the only motive behind this is that the person maybe doesn't want this wedding to hold." 

      "What?!" Danny shot up. "What do you mean they don't want the wedding to hold?" 

        "Mr Kings, calm down, this is for your own good. If we are right at all, this person could do worst things at your wedding and that wouldn't be a nice thing." 

        "Officer, listen here I have shifted this wedding once and I don't want to do that again." 

      "One more shift wouldn't harm you. Since it's for your own good. We will advise that you postpone the wedding until we get further into the investigation." 

         "This is bullshit! What would I tell Nora?" 

          "You are her fiancé, you can convince her. I'm really sorry for the inconvenience. Congratulations in advance." 

     Danny hauled the phone onto the couch, cursing. When he turned, he saw Nora standing by the kitchen door staring at him.