Chapter 9-2 Book 8

Chapter 9-2

Timing

Part 3

Like I said it was none of my business. There was nothing I could do about my mother spending money she didn't have, or the fact Jeannie decided to step in and take the debt. She barely even gasped as she placed the receipt in her pocket. She didn't complain if she did; she did it when I wasn't around. She never once asked me for money, like my mother did, or my sisters. But neither did she go out and buy me expensive presents, instead she treated me like an adult. It was my choice if I wanted to splurge for lunch or dinner every once in a while. She wasn't like my mother when it came to money; she budgeted it wisely and paid her bills on time; she even helped pay for gas when my mother used my car and was riding on empty. She didn't think money grew on trees either and kept Paul on a leash from spending more than he would have if he hadn't.

With the Earl's house now in the developer's hands, they've been living out of a suitcase. My mother insisted they all spend the night here instead of letting my father kick them out on the street. She reminded him he could sleep at the church house if he had a problem with that; in fact, they could stay as long as they wanted.

My father kicked Becky out of her room and put her downstairs with Susan, which really made her day, and moved Aaron into my room with the rest of the boys while he slept in his room so he could keep an eye on his two innocent little angels. While my mother and Jeannie took the couch. My mother gave Bishop Earl and his wife her room. He didn't ask for it, nor did it bother him that my mother slept apart from my father. He knew their marriage was broken. He knew my father refused to divorce my mother, knowing she would take everything, including his two daughters whom he thought the world of.

He got up about the same time my father did, and he and his wife offered him a ride which he refused as we made our way to Heber. Greg and we boys went with them while the girls stayed home and tended the kids while my mother and Jeannie worked on their homework so my mother wouldn't fall behind.

We had decided that Eli and I and our wives would spend Monday at Mr. Stringham's home with Tony and Jenny in Santaquin until my mother came home from school. The only reason my father wanted her home was because he didn't trust me. I had everything I needed so I could finish our homework which needed to be done by Wednesday. Eli and the girls would be just fine and didn't have to worry about getting good marks because they were already far enough ahead compared to kids going to public school.

My father insisted that I didn't come back, but a deal was a deal that only concerned me and my mother … not him or my sisters. He hated the idea that I was still in town; he hated the idea period. But he couldn't prevent me from staying at a friend's house, or Eli and our wives. He did his best to find a way to break the deal, but my mother refused; now that she had a car to go back and forth to school and I had been given a place to stay until she retrieved me on the way home.

I couldn't wait until Monday to give my mother her early birthday present which was sure to anger the monster inside of him. Then again, my father Jim had always been angry and a cruel, abusive monster. Not even today has that changed almost right up to the time he died. But by that time, he could scarcely remember my name, or even his or anyone else's. In many ways, that was either a blessing or a curse.

Tony assured me that the little dog I had chosen would warm my mother's heart and become her best birthday present ever. I held onto that hope, praying that my father would allow her to keep it, as it truly belonged to her and not to me. Although he despised all pets, my father had no issue with my mother having a dog. Unfortunately, neither he nor my sister Susan showed any compassion towards animals. Pets rarely lasted long in either my father's or Susan's household; they either met untimely deaths or escaped to find safer havens.

Another dreadful possibility loomed: my father might insist on taking them for a one-way ride and abandoning them by the roadside. Their disdain extended to all of God's creatures, including snakes and scorpions. My father, Jim and Susan possessed such cruelty and coldness that it seemed they had no hearts or souls.

The only thing he was glad about was the fact Bishop Earl was about to leave town for good, knowing he had moved out and was just waiting to be released on Sunday. Today, though, he was glad to see that I was going with him to Heber. He was hoping that he could persuade him to leave me there and take my friends with me.

But my mother refused that idea. She wanted those last few days with me because the next time I would see her was Thanksgiving and Christmas. He argued that it would be a waste of time considering there would be no presents for me or my brother. At least he wasn't going to buy us any, which was no shock, considering it had always been like that. I usually open my presents when I get back from my home visits. The only presents I would get would be from my grandmother. Yet this Christmas break would be the first longest break I would ever have. Before it was the day before Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas when I was usually returned to my foster home.

I left my car in my mother's hands as I watched us leave it behind. I hated the idea that I had to do it, but I had already agreed that I would loan her the car while I was gone. Tony had agreed to ride along and let my mother drive the car to school on Monday so she could register it for a parking permit, and I would drive it back home with him as my adult because I had agreed to take it to school and learn how to take apart a carburetor and give it a proper tune-up. Which was considered far more important than letting the car sit in the parking lot at the college?

I would pick her up at the Cranny's around four or five and bring her home to give it a good test drive. Plus, that way I could still work on my homework and my car as well as keep the agreement that I wouldn't be anywhere near the house while my father wasn't home or my mother. It all had to do with timing to make everyone happy, even though my father would be far from happy until I was back with the Rothwells. Then again, I questioned if he was ever happy.

My adoptive Mom and Dad were glad to see me the moment we pulled up to the house. As Sparky flew out of the house excited to see me as he ran around me and barking and whining as if I had been gone forever. Watching his tail wag so fast he jumped on me, telling me I was the worst person in the world for leaving him behind. He didn't understand I did it for his own good.

Yet I was very glad to see him and my adoptive brothers and Mom and Dad as they each took turns hugging me to death as if I had been gone forever. Eli too got his share from Mom asking him how the girls were. Noticing we didn't bring them as he told them they were at my mother's house babysitting the Cranny's. We didn't mention what Paul tried to do or what he was doing. Not until we're absolutely certain regarding the other boys. We only had proof of his boys, nothing more, and even that was sketchy.

Right away I could see they had been busy laying pipe along the road, workers were building the wall below us, and they were installing a large metal gate as we passed the large cement columns that would be bricked once the cement set. Dad had already retrieved the horses, and they were busy exploring their new field and the barn was in the process of being built. Dad asked my opinion of seeing the horses again and told me that once he finished building the chicken pens, we would hopefully have fresh eggs and milk from the cows (which he'd also bought and were grazing in the field with the horses) by the time I returned.

He said the sheep and lambs would arrive on Tuesday, Mom shushing him telling him it was supposed to be a surprise. He shrugged his shoulders, said. "They aren't here yet dear so it will be a surprise," Dad said for me to saddle up the horses so Greg, Chad, and Eli could ride them while Bishop Earl visited with the builders and contractors. He stated that the shed would be finished around noon. It was only nine now, which gave us a couple of hours. Mom said there were fresh apples inside the fridge, knowing it was my secret how the horses always come to me, knowing I would usually give them a treat. Dad already had the saddles ready as they were on the front porch.

I quickly grabbed the apples and changed into our winter coveralls because they were nice and toasty warm and that way when they were ready for us to help. Eli said he had never ridden a horse, more less petted one, Greg and Chad admitted the same thing. I smiled telling them they might as well get used to it because we would be riding them a lot. Then quickly stated only in the field where nobody could see me, considering riding a horse was doable because I have seen disabled people riding horses.

I noticed when I opened my room as Sparky followed me; that my bed and desk had been moved to my make room for Greg's and Chad's bed and their desks which we had decided to put into a T shape. I wasn't concerned about the room we would have left, because we still had plenty. We even still had plenty for our little sitting area in front of the TV. But near my desk were three huge boxes with a computer in each one; that would be used for our school work and my bookkeeping. Already my walk-in closet seemed huge compared to mine at my mother's house and with my mermaid's clothes missing. It seemed even bigger.

Dad came in with Bishop Earl, showing him that we had plenty of room as he and his wife took the room across from mine. Hank and his boys were staying at Jake's house, and Bishop Sakes hadn't moved in yet, but when he arrived, he would be staying with Stringham until his house was built. He too was busy trying to move and get it all done before the kids started a new quarter next week. Plus, he was still coordinating his Bishop duties. But at least his home was in the process of being built nearby, in fact right next to Stringham's small cottage.

Stringham wouldn't be back until Friday so Mr. Vincent and Dad were picking up the slack as well as the High Bishop as he was working from his Salt Lake home until his cabin could be built and the same went for Mr. Grayson, Benson, and the Kingston's. Everyone was trying to get squared away as they waited for their homes to be built. It looked like a royal mess and the noise level was crazy. The noise echoed in the valley, being so close to the mountains hearing chainsaws and large equipment above us where Stringham's home would look over the entire valley.

There had to be one of the biggest crews I had ever seen building all around us. Even in front of our house, it was all torn up where lines for a sidewalk and grass area, and flower beds and whatnot. Dad had decided the yard wasn't going to be as big as it was in Highland, but it was more than big enough for us. Instead of in the back, it was in the front and on the sides of the houses, including a garden which I knew was Mom's doing. She would never forgive Dad if she didn't have a garden.

Bishop Earl was given a large piece of land right across from us. The area was huge which stated his home would be twice as big or bigger than his Santaquin home was. He had decided to put in a hot tub and smaller pool than he had before and had them both indoors like ours so he could use them year-round. Even though he and everyone else could use ours anytime they liked. He still felt that he wanted his own. Which he could easily afford, but for now his big concern was just getting his main house built.

He "was" going to build just a one-level home and a small wine cellar like what we have. He wanted to add three guest bedrooms more like suites after seeing ours. So, when his family gets bigger with grandchildren and all his kids are married they would all have room to stay. He used our home as a pattern but on a smaller scale, his wife wanted to hire a maid as we have, but they would live in.

While we left them to discuss their own plans, we went down to the field and gathered the horses. As Greg and Chad complained about the weight of the saddle, they noted that they were carrying it wrong. Meanwhile, I hoisted my saddle over my shoulder and readjusted theirs for easier carrying. I also stuck some apples inside my coveralls. It had been so long since I had seen our horses that I wasn't even sure if they would remember me. However, the moment they caught a whiff of me as I approached, they high-tailed it towards me. Sparky, on the other hand, barked his head off and then turned tail to run. He didn't like the horses much because they were bigger than him. Even Eli and Greg seemed unsure if this was such a good idea as they got closer and then slowed down right in front of me, sniffing me. As I petted the horses, I gave them each an apple and allowed the boys to pet them and feed them the apples.

It was like riding a bike for me as I saddled each of the horses as I helped them up onto the saddles and climbed on the one that was mine. Yet the horses really belonged to Dad, but try telling the horse that. I missed the one I owned when I lived with the Downing's. Remembering how Mom and Dad had refused to even let me keep my horse when I first came to live with them, which was still a sore point with me because I knew now they would. I quickly gave them instructions on how to ride, telling them if they fell off, it would be soft but would knock the wind out of them. I, however, didn't tell them what it would feel like once they were on solid ground again or how they were going to feel when the muscle aches set in after riding for a couple of hours or so.

We did a slow walk around the field, taking in the scenery as they got accustomed to it, and sped up until they were almost at a run. I soon left them in the dust, feeling the wind in my hair and the sundown on my back. There was nothing in the world that I liked better, well stimulating a naked mermaid on horseback came to mind. Eli was the first one to fall off as the horse came to a complete stop too quickly. I waited for him to tell me that was all he wanted, but instead, he was laughing or gasping for breath at the same time, sounding more like a wheezing.

Greg and Chad were bouncing up and down, telling the horse no not that way, yelling at me to tell the horse the way they wanted to go, causing me and Eli to laugh even more. If it wasn't for me keeping an eye on the moving trucks, I wouldn't have known they had started to move into the shed. Once I did, I had the boys follow me as we reached the fence, and I quickly undid the saddles and replaced them on the porch.

Mom asked how it went, watching the boys walk bowlegged and Eli grabbing his ribs, I said. "A long way from being a cowboy, Mom."

She said. "Well, I am sure the horses had a good time." It didn't take long to unload the moving vans as it did to pack them. Mrs. Earl kept everything in order, so she knew where to find things; it was hard to believe that a whole corner that we were using was once an entire house. Then again, they had given away most of their furniture except for the beds, dressers and desks, and other household furniture they had decided to keep.

We were done by four with all my friends and their father's help, which gave us time to have supper here and a nice hot relaxing bath knowing it would be the last us boys would get until we came home on Friday or Saturday. None of us could move without groaning because every muscle hurt from riding the horses and moving boxes and furniture all afternoon. It was almost eight by the time we left for Santaquin, and we boys slept most of the way back.

We had switched out our clothing and left our dirty clothes so Dotty could wash them and make sure we had our Sunday clothes. If it wasn't for the fact that Bishop Earl and his wife were speaking on Sunday giving their farewell talks, we would have spent the night and said the hell with it. Yet we promised my mother I would be back tonight and like me I had commitments.

It was almost ten by the time we pulled into the driveway of my mother's house, my car wasn't there, and I started to freak out, but once inside Rhoda told me my mother had taken my father down to the church to lock up, and said he insisted on it. Yet they hadn't been back and had been a little over two hours. I started to pace until I heard the car pull up into the driveway and it was a little after midnight, as my father got out with a bag of groceries that said they had gone shopping in Provo. Knowing the only major grocery store was either in Spanish-fork or Provo which was Macy's, or the one in Springville. These had the name Food 4 Less on the bags which stated they had gone to Provo.

I knew I was panicking for nothing, because I had no control over where they went or how they used my car, yet it really made me angry. The moment they came into the house my father growled, seeing me. He told me to make myself useful and help bring in the groceries and told me … point blank that it was because of me and my friend's fault that we were eating them faster than they could buy them. I didn't correct him regarding the fact that we had food here and I and my friends have been at Bishop Earl's house most of the week, and the only food we had eaten was what the ward brought us and what he and his wife bought.

Bishop Earl like me kept our mouth shut because we knew he was just trying to get under our skin. Yet we knew it wasn't payday, since my father's check usually arrived on the first and 15th of the month. Today wasn't either of those days which meant my mother wrote another check that wouldn't clear the bank. Jeannie cringed seeing the bags of groceries. This time she didn't bother hiding the fact she wasn't pleased. Instead, she went for a walk to blow off steam.

She, like us, knew there was plenty of food in the house, and if we needed more all she had to do was take our wives with her. Bishop Earl told me and the girls. Not to even think about taking on the unnecessary debt, as we brought in the groceries, said this was on her and my father. Noticing that most of the items were junk food and quick meals, nothing that would last long. It was the receipt in the bag that caught our attention as it read close to 200.00 dollars' worth.

Unless Bishop Earl wanted to personally pay the debt, he was powerless to do so, especially since he was no longer Bishop and the payment would come from his own funds, solving nothing regarding my parents. Knowing my mother, she would just go out shopping again; knowing that someone else would pick up the tab.

Jeannie was angry as she came back and saw the receipt. Bishop Earl urged her not to step in this time, to let the chips fall where they will. I cringed when I noticed the gas tank was almost empty and didn't help when my mother informed me would need to put more gas in it, either tomorrow or first thing Monday morning. At the time, we had thought gas prices were high at 98 cents a gallon compared to today's a little over three dollars a gallon.

The fact that she just bought $200 worth of groceries and used a whole tank of gas in one day suggested that they were using me as a cash cow. In the morning, Bishop Earl promised to make arrangements with the owner of the gas station in town to provide her with enough gas during my stay. However, her reaction to this was a hurt look, as if she felt we didn't trust her with money. And to be honest, she was right - we didn't trust her with money at all.

He said. "Linda, you brought this on yourself. We didn't tell you had to buy groceries for any of us. We told you if you needed food all you had to do was take my wife with you and their wives. I will help with gas by paying in advance for what you might use during the time your son and his friends are here. Once the money is gone, it's gone."

My father said. "And who made you boss? I never asked them to be here. In fact, you can leave anytime you would like. You are not our Bishop anymore, so stay out of our goddamn business. The moment I know who the next one is, things are going to change, and I will correct the problems and remove the goddamn fucking restraints you have forced upon me and my wife. This ends the moment you have been released tomorrow."

Bishop Earl said. "I wouldn't hold your breath, Jim. He is already aware of your spending habits and how you have treated your wife and your two boys. He knows everything I know. And I know for a fact that if you thought my restraints were hard to live with, wait until you see how you handle his. In fact, the first thing that he is going to do is take your checkbook away and give you an allowance. I have already made arrangements with the bank not to accept any more checks from you are your wife without getting the ok from him, first thing starting Monday.

"I should have done that sooner, but I believed that I could show your wife how to budget her money wisely. How wrong I was, and this only proves my point; more so when we have made arrangements to ensure we all had plenty of food to eat and the utilities paid for the month just so you wouldn't have to spend one single dime to accommodate us."

My father growled. "You have no right, Goddamn it!"

Bishop Earl said. "I have every right because I have been paying your bills; I have been doing so for a very long time. You gave me the right by allowing me to do it for the sake of your kids. You yourself put me and the church in charge of your finances. You signed on the dotted line the moment your wife and you asked for my help. This is going to stop, or you will be facing bankruptcy and you will lose everything; this house and possibly your children, to the state because you can't afford to pay for a roof over their heads or food on the table. I can't tell you how close you are as you are sitting on a very fine line. It could be only a matter of time if someone doesn't do anything to stop you.

"Trust me, when I say you won't like your new Bishop. If you think just by getting rid of me, it will solve your problems, it won't. In fact, I am looking forward to seeing your face tomorrow when your wife and you see who it is. God help you because I certainly won't. Good night." He left the room and opened my mother's room, and his wife followed him.

My mother growled. "I told you, Jim! I told you we should have asked first!"

He said. "Shut the hell up! It's my money, not his Goddam it! I can spend it any way I fucking want to! Besides, these groceries are mine, not that mother fucker! Not his and certainly not yours and your friends! It's time! No goddamn it! It's pastime! You and your filthy, immoral fucking friends go back to where you come from! I want them out of my house, Linda! I want them out! If they are not out of this house by Monday when I come home from work! I am calling the cops and bringing them up on trespassing charges, goddamn it! Do you hear me, boy? I want you out! And if I have to do it with a shotgun in my hands you are getting out of my goddamn fucking house, I will do it! Your visiting days are over. You hear me, you mother fucking brat? And first thing Monday morning, goddamn it! I am filing for a restraining order against all of you goddamn it! I hold you responsible for endangering me and my daughters with this god forsaken madman for attempting to kill us!

"Then I am calling the fucking Family Services, and I am removing your fucking Goddamn brother once and for all! I will see to it that he is placed in the worst Goddamn home they can find on this godforsaken fucking planet! And I will forbid your worthless goddamn fat whore mother from ever seeing you or him again! This has gone on far too long goddamn it! And I am out of fucking patience!"

My mother screamed. "No, Jim!! That isn't going to happen, because I have full custody of both Eric and his brother Aaron! You waved your rights to them long ago! You can call family services all you want, but they won't do one thing for you! They must have my permission and his grandmother's permission to cancel visitation rights or put Aaron into the system! They really don't belong to you anymore, and neither do your daughters! I have full custody of both of your daughters! I have full custody of Aaron. I have an open adoption with the Rothwells so I can see my son any time I want to, anywhere I please! So, stick that where the sun doesn't shine!"

My father reached up to slap her, but I stood in the way, and so did Jeannie. He growled for us to get out of his way, only to have Bishop Earl step in his way and said. "Either go to bed or get the hell out of this house, Jim!"

My father said. "You will pay for this. I swear to God you will pay for interfering! Susan Becky, get your things! We're leaving!"

My mother said. "You're going nowhere! Get to bed!"

My father said. "That's it, Goddamn it! Tomorrow it is time I took back what is mine!" He grabbed his coat from the closet and went out the backdoor, got on his bike. He kept clothes at the church house after spending enough time down there; it was like his second home. My mother told me to ignore the threats he had just made, but she didn't sound all that convincing. Time will tell if they come true.