Joni looked around the crowded tent and whispered to Sara, “Who’s he talking to?”
~~~
Morning light revealed the broken, concrete steps and trash in front of the old wood house. James weaved his way through several beat-up cars and ragged trucks parked in the knee high grass. Without knocking, he stormed through the front door. “Kathy!”
A girl looked up, startled. Her eyes widened as she pressed her lips together. A shaky finger pointed to the master bedroom.
James stomped through the locked door.
A guy he’d never seen before lifted his head from the pillow. “Get out of here, you idiot.”
James ignored him and marched to the other side of the bed. He snatched the covers. Kathy’s exposed body shivered in the cool morning air. Her sleepy eyes popped opened. “James!” She grabbed for the covers as he jerked her out of the brass bed. She clung to the quilt.
“Where is he?” James swallowed the bile in his throat. “What did you do with Isaac?”
“So you’re James?” Covered with a sheet from the waist down, the guy reclined against the headboard and lit a cigarette. A gold watch chinked against the scarred wood. “No need to get upset. We were passing the time while you were off entertaining the lovely Joni.”
James dragged Kathy out of bed and across the hardwood floor. His punch landed on Preppy’s mouth. Blood and live ashes sprinkled the bed.
Ringed hands slapped at the sheets. “Are you crazy? You set the bed on fire!”
“You can have Kathy, but I want Isaac. Now!” James turned, lifted Kathy by her arms, and shook her. “Where is he?”
She clutched the bedcovers around her.
The fear in her eyes scared him. “If you’ve hurt him. I swear. I will kill you.”
“He’s at C-Ci-Cindy’s house.”
His heart stopped. “Cindy?” He shoved her against the bed. “How could you leave him with that crackhead?”
Kathy rolled her eyes. “She’s a good person.”
Heart hammering, James ran for his truck. Isaac spent the night with Kathy’s dealer.
~~~
A silver, heeled sandal lay on its side. Joni stepped around it and onto the stage as the musicians packed their instruments. The pianist smiled in greeting. “Did you enjoy the service?”
“Yes. It was a new experience for me.” She held out her hand. “I’m Joni. Joni Maher.”
The lady ignored the offered hand and pulled her into a warm embrace. “I’m Sister Sandra to everyone here, but if that makes you uncomfortable, just call me Sandra.”
Joni nodded. “I’m here with James’s sister. I was wondering if you could…well, could you teach me to play like you?”
Gentle eyes widened. “James is my nephew. You’re a friend of his?”
Joni’s lips curved at the mention of his name and heat climbed her neck. “Sort of.”
“I see.” Sandra’s brief mischievous smile turned serious. “Learning the piano takes years. I occasionally give lessons—”
“No. That’s not what I meant.” Joni shook off the memory of waking in James’s arms. “I know how to play. Could you teach me your style?”
“My style?” A thick eyebrow rose.
“Yes. Play something and let me watch. I’ll probably catch on.” Joni moved beside her. The pianist didn’t begin, and she backed away. “I’m sorry. You probably don’t have time.”
“Wait.” James’s aunt smiled and stepped away from the keyboard. “You play something for me and then I’ll play whatever you want to hear.”
Joni glanced around and shrugged. “Where’s the sheet music?”
“I don’t use any.”
Awed, Joni stared at the woman. She’d played all morning without music? Not wanting to appear inferior, Joni thought for something she could play. Could she remember the notes? She stepped up, sucked in a quick breath, and played a small piece from Chopin’s “Grande Valse Brillante.”
When the last note sounded, Sandra gawked. The Street Preacher joined them at the keyboard. “Who is this talented young lady?”
James’s aunt smiled and said, “Joni Maher. James’s girlfriend.”
Kind eyes studied Joni. “James Preston? His girlfriend plays? Like this?” He squeezed her shoulder. “Welcome to the family.”
Her face flamed. She couldn’t let them believe she was James’s girlfriend, but she couldn’t tell them they’d just met, either. “We’re only friends.”
The preacher’s laugh boomed throughout the tent. “James’s running days are about over. Praise the Lord. God is great indeed.” He whistled as he walked away.
“Yes, He is.” Sandra’s hands covered the keys and nodded at Joni. “You could give me lessons. But I’ll help, however I can.”
Joni smiled at the compliment. “Thank you. Please, play the first song.”
Sandra did as requested and Joni paid attention to her hands. “Something’s missing. Do it like before, with that extra aura.”
Her teacher’s brows rose. “An aura?”
Joni nodded.
“Oh. You mean the anointing.” Sandra flexed her hands. “You can’t decide you want to play anointed. It’s a gift given by the Holy Ghost.”
“Who?” Her confusion must have shone on her face.
“The Comforter. Sent by Jesus.”
“That reminds me of my second question.” Joni lowered her voice to a whisper. She didn’t want to sound irreverent. “Didn’t the Romans kill Jesus at Easter? A dead man can’t do the things your song claims.”
The aura that was missing in Sandra’s song returned in her voice. “Oh, precious girl, that’s the best part. Jesus is alive and He wants to dwell within you.”
~~~
The screen door hung on one hinge and the aluminum mesh had several gashes and rips. It shook with each blow of his fist. A sense of déjà vu hit him. How many times had he come here looking for Kathy in the previous months? “Cindy, it’s James. I’m here for Isaac.”
No response.
Lifting the frame, he pulled it aside. Green paint flaked off in his hand. He pounded on the solid oak. “Isaac!”
Several locks clicked and the door crept open. Cindy’s cheeks were sunk in and her jeans hung low on her skinny hips. Hopeless blue eyes peered from an ashen face. She’d gone downhill since he’d seen her a few months ago. “James. What are you doing here? You should know better than to beat on my door like the task force.”
He pushed past her. A glass bong in the middle of a scarred coffee table grabbed his attention. Three packs of papers and a half empty dime bag lay between an ashtray and a small glass pipe. A torch cooled on its side. His guts twisted, stealing his breath. Had Isaac witnessed this? Shushing voices came from the back. He snatched open doors and searched past the druggies. One room was dead-bolted. “Where. Is. Isaac?”
She stumbled backward. “I couldn’t let him stay here. It’s not safe. Besides, a kid is bad for business. I took him to my granny’s. She’ll take care of him.”
Both palms pressed against his temples and slid down the sides of his head. Cindy wasn’t a bad person, just desperate to survive. He wished he could help her, but he didn’t know how. “Where does your granny live?”
Shaky hands struggled to light her cigarette. “Just down the street.”
James turned to go, but paused in the doorway. “How long has Isaac been there?”
“I’m not sure. Time kind of slips away from me.” Cindy blew smoke in his direction. “Four, maybe five days.”
To prevent himself from strangling her, James stuck his hands in his front pockets. “Which house? What’s the address?”
Dragging on the cigarette, Cindy squeaked out a street number.
The ragged screen door scraped over the rotten wood floor. James jumped in the truck and raced down the street.”
The four-wheel drive’s skid plate screeched across the railroad tracks. He eased off the accelerator and searched the old buildings for house numbers.
He braked hard, slammed into reverse, and studied the driveway. Weeds grew in the middle of each parallel strip of concrete. White-painted brick framed a wide porch.
James parked on the curb. The frantic beating of his heart knocked against his chest as he silently got out of the truck. Not knowing what to expect, he eased up the broken sidewalk. Dark curtains swayed in the window. A door slammed and Isaac flew down the steps.
“Daddy! Daddy! You comed to get me.”
James lengthened his stride and swooped his son into a tight embrace. He savored the warmth of little arms wrapped around his neck, but the smell of sour milk oozed from Isaac’s shirt. James tried to pull back to inspect his son for injuries, but the little head buried against him and sobbed. “Don’t leave me no more.”
The rip in his heart cut deep. James blinked back tears and pushed away the guilt. “I love you, Isaac. And I swear, I won’t ever leave you again.”
Isaac lifted his head and wiped his nose on the back of his dirty hand. “I love you too, Daddy.”
“Let’s go home.” James was halfway to the truck when Isaac stiffened in his arms.
“Where do you think you’re going with that baby?” The booming female voice preceded a second slam of the screen door.
James hurried Isaac into the truck, shut the door, and pressed the lock button on his keyless entry. He turned toward rushing footsteps. A large woman with red hair barreled down the sidewalk. James stood between the threat and Isaac. “I’m taking my son with me.”
“You ain’t going nowhere.” Wrinkled hands propped on ample hips. “Kathy’s ‘sposed to pick him up, and she owes me. Cash only. No food stamps.”
James clenched his jaw. “Food stamps? Really?” He reached for his wallet.
One hand fell from her hip. “All that partying going on…” Her head bobbed and swayed as she spoke.
“Somebody’s got to pay the piper.” She stuck out her neck and her eyes widened. “And it ain’t gonna be me.” A palm turned up.
He laid a hundred dollar bill in her hand.
She tucked the money into her bra. “Nice doing business with ya. You bring the little fellow back to Granny’s anytime.”
James swallowed his disgust. “I don’t think so.”
She laughed on her way back to the porch. “Oh he’ll be back, if I know his momma.” Her cackle plucked at his nerves. “And e’rybody knows his momma.”
James slid behind the wheel of his truck and drove west on Houston Street. Surely Isaac’s abandonment proved Kathy unfit. He stopped in the road and snapped a picture of Cindy’s house with his phone. Evidence of neglect was the only thing standing in his way of filing for full custody.
Isaac’s bare feet dangled. He needed to be in a car seat, but James didn’t know where it was. Reaching over, he tightened the middle seatbelt. It would have to do until they got home. Stains splotched Isaac’s jeans and a rip was in the sleeve of his shirt. “Are you okay?”
Little blue eyes widened. “I was ascared.”
James ruffled his son’s greasy hair. “No way. You’re the bravest boy I know.”
Isaac shook his head. “Nuh-uh, Daddy, I was ascared bad.”
Swallowing the lump in his throat, James kept his voice light. “Did anyone hurt you?”
“No, sir. But Granny yells louder than Momma does.”
“She didn’t bathe you either, did she? You smell like a little piggy.” James wrinkled his nose and snorted.
Isaac’s giggle lifted a heavy burden from James.
“How long since you changed clothes?”
“Yesterday.”
James smiled for the first time in hours. To Isaac, everything in the past happened yesterday and everything in the future was tomorrow. “I think we’ll put you in the tub first.”
“Okay, Daddy.” For once Isaac didn’t argue about bath time. He snuggled close to James’s side.
“Are you hungry?”
Isaac shook his head.
At least the mean, old woman had fed him. James blinked against the knot in his throat. He silenced the questions churning in his mind and concentrated on the Sunday afternoon traffic. He unlocked his phone and dialed his sister’s number. She would be worried about Isaac, and James wanted to check on Joni. Would she forgive him for dumping her at church?
Sara answered on the second ring. “Did you find him?”
“He’s fine. One of Kathy’s friends was babysitting.” He didn’t dare tell the truth. “We’ll come over tomorrow for supper.”
“Good idea. Let’s meet at Mom’s. She’s a better cook.”
“How’s Joni?”
“We dropped her off on University Boulevard.”
James cringed. “Did she survive church?”
“She enjoyed it. Aunt Sandra had an interesting conversation with her after the service. Did you know Joni played classical piano?”
“Of course.” Uncertainty pretzeled his stomach. He didn’t want Joni to enjoy church and he certainly didn’t like her talking to Aunt Sandra. “What did they do to her?”
“Nothing much.” Her chuckle boasted a new convert.
His fingers tightened around the phone. “You were supposed to take her home, not drag her to an altar.”
Feminine laughter had him grinding his teeth. “No need to get upset. Nothing that horrible happened. Although, Joni agreed to attend Wednesday night prayer meeting.”
“She’s not going.” Isaac slumped in the seat and James adjusted his sleeping son next to him.
Sara sighed in his ear. “Do you hear yourself?”
“Yes. My meddlesome sister is ruining the perfect girl. I don’t want you to change Joni. Leave her alone. She doesn’t need your churchy ways. She’s fine the way she is.”
He braked hard for the sudden red light while holding on to Isaac. He swore and ended the call. He should’ve known better than to introduce Joni to Sara.
Chapter Three
Joni strolled up to the Kappa house at three o’clock Sunday afternoon. Candace and five other girls squealed and hugged her outside the common room. “We were so worried.”
She shuffled through the door and perched on the burgundy sofa. “Where’s my phone?”
“Girl, you’re over twelve hours late and all you can say is ‘where is my phone’? Trent has called four times asking if you were back yet.”
Joni frowned at the girls surrounding her. “Why would he care?”
“Duh, he had a flat tire and by the time he made it to the party, you’d left with James.”
“Kathy is livid.”
Joni’s head spun. Which one of the girls said that? “She is?” She shook her head. “That can’t be right. She’s the one who introduced us.”
“Trent is soooo disappointed he missed out on your maiden voyage.”
From another, “Girl, you was supposed to take a three-hour tour. And instead you went on a cruise.”
The questions and comments came from every side. “Where’d you get them clothes?”
Finally, a question she could answer. “Sara, James’s sister.”
“His sister!” Over a dozen girls stared, bug-eyed.
Joni held up a hand. An explanation was in order. “Last night, after Stephanie and Marla left the party, Kathy said Candace told her to help me out, but she put something in my drink. The next thing I remember was waking up in the back of James’s truck.”
Candace wrinkled her nose. “He left you passed out in a nasty truck bed?”
Joni smiled at the memory of her pillow. “No. He slept beside me, and it wasn’t nasty.”
“Oh, yeah.”
“Now, we’re talking.”
Stephanie’s stiff smile caught Joni’s attention. “I’m glad someone enjoyed their experience. I’m going to take a shower.”
Candace rolled her eyes and caught Stephanie’s eye. “Not yet. You’ve already had four today, and with Joni back we need to have our meeting.”
Joni wanted a bath too, but she’d wait until she
got back to her parents’ house. The other girls crowded into the mauve-colored room. “Where’s Marla?”
Stephanie sat in the center of the sofa. “She didn’t make it.”
Marla only rushed at Joni’s urging. If anything happened to her, Joni wouldn’t forgive herself. Despite the rivalry their mothers imposed on them, the pianists encouraged each other through losses, and celebrated victories with sleepovers, movie nights, and trips to the mall. “What do you mean by that?”
“She didn’t finish the game. Walked to a truck stop and called someone to pick her up. This morning she came by and got her stuff. By the way, here’s your purse.”
Joni cradled her handbag and sank into the cushions beside Stephanie. “I guess I didn’t make it either.”
Candace smiled from a flowered wingback chair. “Of course you did. So what if you’re a few hours late? As long as the deed was done.”
“But James—”
“Has a live-in girlfriend.” Candace raised a perfectly waxed eyebrow. “Believe me. You won’t hear from him again. And don’t tell Trent you spent the night. He won’t like it.”
Congratulations came from every side. They thought she slept with James. Well, she did sleep with him, but she didn’t sleep with him. Joni bit back a squeal. They didn’t need to know she failed. She now had sisters.
Candace shared the rules and schedule for the upcoming four weeks. There were eleven new girls. “Ya’ll can now move into the house; we’ll have the initiation after four-weeks probation. And don’t forget, your big brother or big sister must know where you are at all times. We don’t want anyone marring the sorority’s image on campus or off. Joni, you’re in with Stephanie and Rebecca. With Marla gone ya’ll will have more room. The rest of you are in the suites across the hall.”
Stephanie stood. “Come on, let’s rearrange the furniture.”
Halfway up the stairs, Joni’s phone rang from her purse. She didn’t recognize the number. “I’ll be a minute.” She connected the call.
“Hey, beautiful.” James’s voice sent her heart fluttering.
She brushed her hair back and caught her breath. “Hi. Did you find Isaac?”
“Yeah, I found him. Sorry to dump my sister on you.”
She slipped down the stairs and out the backdoor. “No problem. How is he?”