Chapter 23
AJ
AJ couldn’t believe it had been months since the election. “I wonder if anything will ever be quite as magical as that time for me?” She asked herself. School was a drag. She was one of the popular students, and she was still writing for the school newspaper. But, there really wasn’t anything to report. At least, there was nothing in the grown up world that would be suitable for a simple school newspaper. The students were all just like the students of years passed. They lived in a fantasy world where high school was the beginning and end of everything. Nothing else really mattered. Some of the older students talked about college, but most of them saw that as just an extension of their lives in high school, and not as preparation for a future beyond getting an education. AJ understood that high school and even college popularity and recognition usually did not follow anyone out into the real world. At least not without a lot of work and careful planning. AJ had seen the real world that was waiting just beyond getting her education finished. She wanted that world, the world she had been a part of during the campaign. “But, next time,’ AJ often reassured herself, ‘I will be the one who has the spotlight all the time. I won’t be overshadowed by anyone.’
Morning and evening she repeated a mantra that Zisa had given to her. “I want power, recognition that continually grows greater.’ Sometimes she repeated it ten times. Sometimes she repeated it aloud; other times she repeated it silently. Boring moments throughout the day were endured by repeating her mantra. When envy threatened to overwhelm her when she saw others prospering and doing well, she repeated her mantra. And, every night she went to sleep thinking that one thought.
Gradually, AJ became convinced that nothing would stop her from taking her rightful place as one of the elite in the current government. Whether she was elected, or the wife of someone who was elected, she would be the one in charge. She didn’t care if people loved her or were afraid of her,she just wanted to be the one in charge.
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Shelly was a little uneasy, but overall pleased at the determination AJ was showing to finish school early and get a jumpstart on college with the dual credit courses. “I guess, I’m just being silly,’ she often told herself. “I just worry that AJ is missing the high school experience. It is like she is attending school, but that her mind is somewhere in the future. I really wanted her to just be popular and enjoy high school.” The thought of talking to AJ about her concerns never crossed her mind. For the first time Shelly and AJ had a sort of normal mother-daughter relationship. Shelly wasn’t about to risk that fragile connection by saying something that AJ might take as critical.
Shelly’s thoughts were interrupted by her phone ringing. She was pleased to learn that someone had canceled at her favorite day spa, and they were offering the open slot to her. ‘That will work out perfectly,’ Shelly said as she hung up the phone. ‘That will just give me time to go for my work out at the gym, and then to the spa. I may call Fredrick and see if he wants to meet for supper somewhere after that. It should work out perfectly. AJ won’t be home until late this evening, so I don’t have to worry about her.”
Fleetingly, Shelly wondered how Mal was doing. It had been strange to not see him through the holidays. “Well, I didn’t see him that much anyway,” she consoled herself. “I do think he should have made an effort to see his family during the holidays. It isn’t like that floozy he married should have all his time. If he really wanted to see us, he could have just come to see us.” Shelly quickly turned her thoughts to something more pleasant. That meant she began to think about her personal appearance. She was certain that she not only looked younger, but that she was actually growing more youthful with every trip to the gym and the spa.
As she left the house for the gym, Shelly stopped for one long look at the full length mirror in the entry hall. Satisfied with what she saw, Shelly said aloud,’ “I think I am happier than I have ever been before.’
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Fredrick was in a peculiar situation. He was pleased that his wife was taking more of an interest in her appearance, and she even pleasant to be around. But, she was sort of cramping his style. He was used to having free time that was not questioned by his wife. Now that Shelly was making an effort to participate in his life, he didn’t really know what to do with her. He was already probably going to lose his current secretary because of his wife. Frederick never really kept a secretary that long anyway. To be his secretary, the qualifications were a moderate level of competence, good looks, and a willing attitude. He paid them well, and when he was tired of them there were usually ways to get rid of them without actually firing them. The thing was, it was usually his idea to get rid of a secretary. Not the other way around.
‘Well, I guess I can work out something with Shelly,” he said to himself. “If she keeps paying attention to her appearance, she could be an asset. We might entertain more, and try to go out occasionally with some business associates. Still, I am not going to change my entire life just because she has made a few changes in her life.’
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That evening over dinner Shelly approached Frederick regarding what to do with AJ.
“You know Frederick, AJ hasn’t been happy since the election was over. She misses the excitement. And I know she was good at what she was doing for the campaign. She really did standout. And I am not just saying that because she is our daughter. I think she has a special spark there. She could go far.’
Frederick continued eating; his only response was, ‘So, what’s your point?”
“Well,” Shelly began timidly, “I was wondering if you might have some influence with someone who could get AJ an internship at the state capital for the summer. She really is interested in politics. Maybe you could even get her something to do with Mitch Farmer. He seemed to really like her,” Shelly continued.
“I think I could arrange something. I don’t know about with Mitch Farmer. But maybe close. Let me see.” Frederick said thoughtfully. “That really isn’t a bad idea,” He thought to himself.
Shelly glowed at Frederic’s unexpected praise. Then a surprising but pleasant thought came to her mind. It was almost as though a small voice said, ‘Way to go Shelly! Get rid of AJ for the summer, and you will have Frederick all to yourself. Then you can really work on your marriage without anyone else in the house.”
Only a few days later Shelly, Frederick, and AJ were having their evening meal. Shelly still did most of the cooking, but these days she set the table a little more elegantly, served wine with every meal, and even allowed AJ to sample the wine of choice every evening. Shelly reasoned, ‘AJ will need to know what wine goes with what when she is a hostess in her own home, or even overseeing a meal for special events.’
Frederick was in a particularly good mood. Over desert he made an announcement. “AJ, I have some good news for you. You are really too young for this, but I was able to pull a few strings. You have been accepted for a six week internship this summer at the capital. I was able to get you assigned to Mitch Farmer.”
AJ was stunned. Then she said aloud, “Thank you Zisa,”
“What?!” Frederick said.
“I meant thank you dad. I was so excited I guess just jumbles came out of my mouth.”
Frederick and AJ chatted excitedly about the summer, and how it would allow AJ to meet powerful people.
“You know dad, I will need an entirely new wardrobe for this. I will have to dress for the real world, not high school. I am so excited I can hardly sit still. Thank you so much daddy,” she gushed.
Shelly waited for Frederick to mention that it had been her idea, but her name was never mentioned. “Oh well,” Shelly thought to herself, ‘At least she will be out of the house. You know, that girl has probably been a lot of the reason for the distance between my husband and me. It really will be a good thing to have her gone for a while.”
Malachi
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Mal was a happy man. He was sitting in his ‘office space’ at home reflecting on how dramatically his world had changed with meeting Belle, becoming a Christian, getting married, and moving into the house where Belle and Amelia had grown up.
‘I really didn’t know life could be so good,’ he often thought to himself. Then he said it out loud to anyone who was around at the time. Belle and Amelia had heard it so many times they laughed when he started talking about ‘life being so good’.
The holiday’s had gone better than he could have imagined. Thanksgiving and Christmas involved a few Sunday School parties. There were some gift exchanges with people from the church, and those usually involved baked goods. They were invited to the pastors house for Thanksgiving, but they decided to have their first Thanksgiving meal at home as a family of three.
Mal wasn’t exactly doing anything at the moment, although he was supposed to be working on some details of his plan to set up a radio program. He already had a small number of subscribers to a podcast, and he had decided to go ahead with the radio program. Pastor CC had suggested that he give top priority to some Bible classes. Quite a few were available on the internet, by correspondence, and several satellite programs from fundamental Bible colleges were available right there in town. Mal was taking a full course load, because he wanted to know more about the teachings of Jesus Christ, and he thought it would be good to have a degree in Bible studies with his name on it.
Mal’s thoughts were interrupted by a brisk knock on the door. “That must be Amelia,” he thought. “Come on in,” he said.
Just as he thought, Amelia walked in and sat down without saying anything. He waited for her to speak, but she was messing with a brown paper bag in her hands.
“Amelia,” Mal said questioningly. “Are you alright?”
“Of course I’m alright. It’s you I’m worried about,” she replied.
“Me?’ Mal said. “I’m fine. Why would you think something is wrong with me? And please stop fiddling around with that bag. You know wrinkling up paper makes a very irritating noise.’
“Well Mal, I want this bag ready in case you hyperventilate while we are talking.”
Mal had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Amelia must have something terrible to tell him.
‘Ok, what is it? Just spit it out,” he said.
“I can’t just spit it out. I really need to drop enough hints so you can figure it out for yourself. It really isn’t my place to tell you. I’ll start with telling you who this is about. It’s about Belle, and she isn’t dying or anything like that,” Amelia said.
“Belle is sick? How sick is she?” Mal said trying to keep terror out of his voice.
“Mal, calm down, she isn’t really sick. Here, breathe into this bag a few times. That will calm you down.’
“Amelia, I don’t need the bag. What is going on?”
“Mal, you are amazing. I suppose you can be excused because you haven’t lived with women before. When a man and woman get married there is always the possibility of something unplanned happening. You just have to see it for the blessing that it really is. I know that I for one am so excited that I can hardly sit still.”
Mal was staring at Amelia with a totally bewildered expression on his face. “I wonder if she is on some sort of new pain medication or something,” he thought.
Mal took a few deep breaths and started to speak calmly, but he was stopped by the arrival of Belle.
“Oh Belle, honey,’ he began. I don’t think Amelia is feeling too well. Maybe you better talk to her.”
“Amelia, you little brat. How much did you tell him?” Belle asked.
“I didn’t tell him anything. I promised you I wouldn’t, and I didn’t. I did try to drop a few hints, but he very dense when it comes to things like this. I guess you are going to have to tell him. Here, take the paper bag. If he hyperventilated when you choked on you thanksgiving dinner, I know he will hyperventilate when you give him the news.” With that said, she walked out and shut the door.
Mal had the distinct impression she was standing outside listening. He didn’t care. First, he just wanted to know what the problem was. Second he knew that Amelia would hear what was being said if she was at the opposite end of the house. Belle had warned him that Amelia had supersonic hearing, and he quickly learned she had was right.
“Just spit it out Belle,” he said. Amelia said you weren’t dying, and that you weren’t sick. How bad could it be?
“Here Mal, hold the paper bag just in case,” Belle said as she handed him the bag Amelia had brought with her. Then, taking a deep breath she said, “I’m definitely pregnant.”
To his credit Mal did not hyperventilate. He did fall off his chair.
“I haven’t seen the doctor yet,” she continued. “But, according to my calculations it should be here sometime around our first anniversary.’
Getting up off the floor Mal sat back in his chair. “Well, how about that!” he said. “A baby.” He was a little weak in the knees, but he managed to go to Belle and give her a hug and a kiss.
“Mal,” Belle said, “This is as big a surprise to me as it is to you. I wanted to finish college first. I’m pretty overwhelmed. As you might guess, it was Amelia that figured it out. I thought I was just tired from the holiday stress, new marriage, and school.”
“Holiday stress?” Mal thought. “What stress is she talking about? I thought everything was perfect.” Aloud he said, “Everything will be fine. Well, I’m sure it will be fine, but we have to get you to a doctor just to be sure.”
As though on cue Amelia knocked on the door again. Not waiting for an invitation she walked in. “I called and got Belle an appoint with ‘a baby doctor’,” she said. “Now we can all relax and let nature take its course.”
“Say Mal, do twins run in your family?” Amelia asked. “Twins would be so neat.”
Belle looked at her husband’s pale face and said as she handed him the paper bag, ‘Here honey, breath into this.”
Angels of Darkness
Zisa and Cabiri were having a conference. It was really more like a pat themselves on the back party. They were delighted with the ‘family bonding’ going on between Shelly, AJ, and Frederick. They were equally delighted that Mal was so easily cut out of their daily thoughts.
“I think Shelly will stick with our side, now that her interest is on her husband,” Zisa said. “She wouldn’t want to do anything to put a barrier between them.”
“Her interest is on her looks as well as Frederick,” Cabiri pointed out. “That was my idea you know. Frederick may be a problem. He really doesn’t appreciate excessive attention from his wife. If he rejects her attentions, she will have her new found beauty to fall back on.”
“Well, you know I can only be in one place at once. You are going to have to do some of the work. I can’t oversee Shelly, AJ, and Frederick,” Zisa said irritably.
“Don’t get in a huff Zisa,” Cabiri said impatiently. “I know you are definitely limited in what you are able to do. Just be as vigilant at possible. We definitely don’t want a visit from a superior on this one. Maybe I can get some added observers to at least keep us posted with what Mal’s family is doing. That would help us avoid reconciliation in the future.