“I’m pleased to hear that.” There was a hint of sadness in Dad’s voice.
“I love you, Dad.” Jayden’s voice caught.
“I love you too, son.”
“I’ll call again soon.” Jayden’s voice was no more than a whisper.
“We’ll be praying for you.”
“Thanks.” Jayden could barely get the last word out before he hung up.
Angie squeezed his hand and sat quietly.
Should he ask Dad to come? Jayden’s head whirled. Everything would be different if he did.
“You okay?” Angie leaned forward and tilted his chin with her finger. The concern in her eyes just made him love her more.
Blinking back tears, Jayden shook his head.
“What’s up?” Angie tilted his head up again.
He met her gaze. A feeling that everything was about to change settled heavily on his heart. Squeezing her hand, his gaze traveled over her face. He loved every bit of her, from the curls of red hair that spiraled down her neck, to her green eyes that sparkled like emeralds, and to her smile that made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside. There was nothing he didn’t love about Angie Morgan.
But he didn’t deserve someone as loving and kind as her. It was amazing that her parents allowed her to date him. They probably wouldn’t now, not with a murderer as a mother. But the Morgan’s weren’t like that. The way they’d accepted Jessica’s pregnancy, even though they were saddened by it, they hadn’t disowned her like Blake’s parents had disowned him. They loved and accepted everyone, and everyone loved them. If only all families were like that. Not messed up like his.
He blinked. Angie was waiting for an answer. He drew a slow breath. “Just thinking.”
She gave him a wistful smile. “There’s a lot to think about.”
Yes, there was. He ran his hand over his head. “I think I need that talk.”
Angie nodded. “Good idea.”
She leaned forward and kissed his cheek before standing and walking with him into the living room where her parents were seated on a sofa, chatting quietly. Jessica and Simon were engrossed in a game of chess, but looked up as Angie and Jayden entered the room.
“How did it go?” Concern was written all over Mrs. Morgan’s face.
Jayden’s shoulders slumped. “Dad was shocked.” He paused. Should he tell them that Dad had offered to come over? He glanced at Angie and sighed. He probably should. “He offered to come over.”
Mrs. Morgan’s eyes misted over. “Oh, Jayden, that’s lovely of him. What a thoughtful man.”
Jayden gulped. Maybe he should have told Dad to come.
“What did you say?” Mr. Morgan asked.
Jayden shuffled his feet before answering. “I told him I’d think about it.”
“I can understand that.” Mr. Morgan patted the seat opposite him. “Come and sit.”
Jayden glanced at Angie and then led her to the sofa opposite her parents. It was time to come clean about everything.
“We’d like to pray for your mom. Is that okay?” Mr. Morgan straightened in his seat and leaned forward a little.
Jayden nodded.
Angie squeezed his hand and shifted closer.
“Jess, Simon, come and join us.” Mrs. Morgan held her hand out to the two of them.
They raised their brows at each other before they stood and moved closer, joining their parents and Angie and Jayden.
“We’ve got some serious stuff going on here.” Mr. Morgan’s gaze traveled around his family. “Stuff you’d hope no one would ever have to deal with, but it’s happened, and we have no idea how it’s going to end. We need to support Jayden. And we have to ask God to help us through it. Okay?”
Everyone nodded. Mr. Morgan reached out and placed his hand on Jayden’s shoulder. The others joined hands.
“Let’s pray.” Mr. Morgan began. “Dear Heavenly Father, we come to You with heavy hearts. Never in our wildest dreams would we have thought that anything like this could happen, and we’re still in shock. Lord, we pray for Jayden’s mother, wherever she might be, that she might feel Your presence with her, even if she doesn’t know You. Lord, we don’t know what drove her to do this, if indeed she did do it, but Lord, we know she’s a troubled woman, and that she’s made plenty of bad choices, but Lord, we know that You still love her, regardless of what she’s done, just like You love all of us, regardless of what we’ve done. None of us deserve Your favor, Lord, and we don’t judge her. We just pray that somehow You can bring good out of this most horrible of situations.
“And Lord, we bring Jayden before you. Thank You that he’s chosen to live for You, but Lord, we know he’s carrying a lot of hurt, and we pray that You’ll touch him deep inside and bring healing to his life. We pray that You’ll help him see life through Your eyes, Lord, and that he’ll learn to forgive, and to let go of things that might hold him back. We pray that he’ll know true love in his life. Love that only comes from You, dear Lord. True love that never fails, and never disappoints.”
Jayden brushed tears from his eyes.
Mr. Morgan continued. “And Lord, we pray for this dear little baby boy that Jessica’s carrying. We know he wasn’t planned, but we love him already, just as you do. Bless him, dear Lord, and help Jessica and Blake to work through everything that’s ahead of them in the days, weeks and months ahead. We know it won’t be easy, but we pray they’ll put You first, and that they’ll honor You in all they do. We ask all these things in Jesus’ precious name, Amen.”
Everyone sat quietly as a sense of God’s presence filled their hearts. Tears rolled down Jayden’s cheeks. Despite all the turmoil in his life, he had peace. He had no idea what would unfold, but God would see him through, and would show him the way. Of that he was certain.
Chapter 14
The first thing Jayden needed to do was to come clean. Mrs. Morgan had quickly prepared a supper of soup and toast, and everyone was sitting around the kitchen table. Mr. Morgan called the Police for any updates, but they had none—they were still searching for Ms. Middleton and would be in touch when they had any news.
Jayden inhaled and steeled himself. He glanced at Angie, and then cleared his throat. “I’ve… I’ve got something I need to say.”
All eyes turned towards him.
“What is it, son?” Mr. Morgan asked as he glanced up from the toast he was buttering.
Jayden clenched his hands together to stop them shaking and gulped. “I haven’t been completely honest with you all, and I need to. While we were praying, it was like God was telling me I needed to come clean, so that’s what I’m doing.”
Angie’s eyes widened.
What must she be thinking? His stomach lurched. Oh God, please don’t let me lose her.
“You’d better tell us, son, but I can’t imagine it’s that bad.”
Jayden drew another breath and sighed. “You’ll have to decide that once you hear.” He fixed his gaze on his soup bowl for a second before raising his head. His heart pounded, but he needed to get it over with. His gaze shifted to Angie. “To start with, I’m not seventeen. I’ve just turned sixteen.” Her eyes widened further. His heart fell. He’d lost her, he knew it. He turned his gaze back to the soup bowl and took another breath. “And this is the big one—I’ve overstayed, so I’m actually illegal.” He paused, waiting for his words to sink in. “I… I didn’t know to start with, but Mom wasn’t able to get me a visa, and so she organized fake ID for me.” He lifted his head and met Mr. Morgan’s gaze. Mr. Morgan’s expression hadn’t changed. Jayden had no idea what he was thinking. “I didn’t want to use it, but it got too complicated,” he shifted his gaze to Angie, “and then when I got the job at the shop, I had to give my boss something, so I used it. I knew at some stage I’d get into trouble, but I didn’t know what to do, so I just left it. Until now.”
His shoulders slumped as he lowered his head. No one said anything. He’d shocked them. His hands shook and a lump settled in his stomach. He shouldn’t ha
ve said anything, but he’d had no choice. It was the right thing to do—he couldn’t ignore his conscience any longer.
Angie squeezed his hand.
He turned his head.
Her eyes brimmed with tears.
His heart burned. Nothing would ever be the same.
The tick of the clock on the far wall was the only sound he could hear above the ringing in his ears. Mrs. Morgan stood and wrapped her arms around him. Angie gripped his hand as tears streamed down her cheeks. Mr. Morgan remained seated but placed his hand on his shoulder.
Mr. Morgan was the first one to speak. “Thank you for telling us, son. It couldn’t have been easy.”
Jayden sucked in a breath as he turned his head, meeting Mr. Morgan’s gaze. “No, it wasn’t. I’m so sorry.” He swallowed hard.
Mr. Morgan’s brow inched lower. “As you said, it would have come out eventually. No need to do anything tonight. Let’s sleep on it, and we’ll pray about it. God will have a plan, I’m sure of it. He’ll honor your obedience, son.”
Jayden’s heart quickened. He’d almost forgotten that God was on his side. He didn’t have to handle this alone.
He managed a weak smile. “Thank you. I’m not sure how I’m going to sleep tonight, though.”
“I can understand that. We can stay up all night if you like.”
Mrs. Morgan placed her hand on Mr. Morgan's back. "Robert, the boy should get some sleep. We don’t know what tomorrow will hold.”
“That’s true, but could you sleep if your mother was missing?”
“I guess I wouldn’t. Okay then, we’ll all stay up, for a while at least.”
Everyone stiffened when the phone rang.
Jayden’s heart pounded. Had they found Mom?
Mr. Morgan stood and lifted the phone from its cradle on the wall.
Jayden fixed his gaze on him. Mr. Morgan’s expression didn’t change; he was giving nothing away.
“Thank you, Officer. I’ll bring him in.”
Jayden’s eyes widened. They must have found her. But was she dead or alive?
Mr. Morgan hung up the phone and returned to the table, but remained standing. “The Highway Patrol found your mother, Jayden. She’s been taken in for questioning.”
Jayden let out a huge sigh of relief.
“I told them I’ll bring you in. Grab whatever you need and we’ll go now.”
“Can I come too?” Angie asked quietly.
“It’s a school night, Angela.” Mr. Morgan’s voice grew firmer.
“How can I go to school?”
“You’re right, I’m sorry. Yes, you can come.” Mr. Morgan stepped towards Mrs. Morgan and kissed her tenderly on the cheek. “I’ll call.”
“I’ll be praying for you all.” Mrs. Morgan looked into her husband’s eyes before turning her attention to Jayden. She reached out and squeezed his arm. “And I’ll be praying for your mom.”
“Thank you.” It was all he could manage.
The drive into town was made in silence. Jayden was lost in his thoughts, almost unaware it had begun to rain until Mr. Morgan hit a puddle and a huge splash of water landed on his window. He blinked and straightened in his seat beside Mr. Morgan.
“Are you okay?” Mr. Morgan glanced at him quickly.
Jayden drew a slow breath. “I think so. I knew something would have to happen eventually. Mom was going from bad to worse, but she just couldn’t see it.”
“One thing I’ve learned is that you have no control over what others do with their lives. Everyone makes their decisions, good or bad, and they have to face the consequences. Sometimes people have to hit the bottom before they’re prepared to look at themselves. And even then, only some are prepared to make changes. Most don’t. You can’t force anyone to do something they don’t want to do. Even God doesn’t do that.”
“So what’s the purpose of praying for them?”
“Our prayers are never in vain. As long as we keep praying, God will keep knocking. It’s up to them if they answer the door or not.”
The Hunters Hollow Police Station was on the main road going through town, not far from the church Jayden had visited on his own last Christmas Eve, his first night in Hunters Hollow. How long ago that seemed now.
He’d passed the station many times on his bicycle but had never been inside. It was only small, and as he and Angie followed Mr. Morgan inside, he got the impression that Buck’s murder was the biggest thing that had happened here in some time. The four plastic seats in the waiting area were empty. Understandable given it was close to midnight. The only poster pinned to the notice board, other than the several ‘Missing Persons’ ones, had Mom’s photo on it.
A bell, with instructions to ring it should the desk be unmanned, sat on the front counter. Mr. Morgan rang it. The tingling sound echoed down the hallway, from where the sound of shoes squelching on the tiled floor reached Jayden’s ears. The owner of those shoes, a short, round officer he hadn’t seen before, appeared around the corner and punched numbers into a keypad to open the door to the front counter area.
“Ah, Mr. Morgan. And I assume this is Jayden.” The officer's gaze flashed to him for a moment as he settled in behind the counter.
“Yes, Officer. This is Jayden, and my daughter, Angela.”
“Thanks for coming in. Ms. Middleton is still being interviewed, so you’ll need to wait out here, I’m afraid. There’s a vending machine in the corner if you need anything to eat or drink, or I can get you some water. I don’t know how long she’ll be.”
“I’d like to get her a lawyer, Officer.”
“We’re only talking with her at this stage, Mr. Morgan.” The officer looked at Mr. Morgan over the top of his steel-rimmed glasses.
“Yes, but for her own benefit, I think she needs one now.” Mr. Morgan leaned on the counter and lowered his voice. “Especially if you’re looking at murder.”
The officer sighed. “She hasn’t asked for one.”
“That’s because she probably can’t afford one. I’ll make some calls—I’ll cover the cost.”
Jayden’s eyes widened. Mr. Morgan would do that for Mom?
“All right, if you need to. We’ll stop questioning until morning, but we’ll hold her overnight.”
“Can we see her?”
“Follow me.”
Jayden’s heart pounded as he stood and followed the officer and Mr. Morgan through the door, down the hallway, and into an interview room.
Jayden gasped. Mom’s eyes seemed empty; her cheeks were sunken and her skin sallow. What had happened in the few weeks since he’d seen her last? If only he’d made more of an effort to see her, to look after her. But then, he recalled Mr. Morgan’s words: ‘We can’t control what choices people make’. How many times had he pleaded with her to leave Buck? She just wouldn’t listen.
Mom looked up as he took a seat opposite her. She held out her hand, willing him to take it. Her nails, broken and jagged, were a far cry from the highly manicured nails she used to be so proud of. Her eyes pleaded with him. “I didn’t do it, Jay.” She sounded so pitiful. It barely sounded like her.
Jayden held her gaze as a mixture of emotions welled up inside him. He began to seethe. She looked so pathetic. He swallowed hard. He shouldn’t be feeling this way. God would be disappointed. But she’d been so stupid. He pinned her with his eyes. “Why didn’t you leave him, Mom?” He tried hard not to spit the words.
Tears welled in her eyes. “I tried, Jay, but I couldn’t.”
“Why not?”
She hung her head and sobbed. “The drugs. I… I can’t do without them.”
Jayden leaned back in his chair and folded his arms. “You’re going to have to now.”
She lifted her head. “But I didn’t kill him. You have to believe me. I didn’t do it.” She broke down in tears and lowered her head onto her arms as she sobbed.
Jayden narrowed his eyes and studied her. “Then tell me what happened.”
The officer stepped forward. �
��Time’s up, I’m afraid. You’ll have to come back tomorrow.”
“We’ll get you a lawyer, Kathryn.” Mr. Morgan said as he stood.
Tears streamed down her face as she reached out for Jayden. “Don’t leave me here, Jay.”
“We have no choice.” Jayden stood watching as the officer supported her as he led her away. A lump grew in his throat. How would she survive the night in a cold, damp cell?
Chapter 15
Jayden couldn’t get Mom out of his head. How had she fallen so low? He tossed in his bed. Squeezing his eyes shut, he tried desperately to clear his mind so he could sleep. But other thoughts bombarded him. What was going to happen now the Morgan’s knew he’d overstayed? How much more time did he have with Angie? And what if Dad decided to come? The sheets grew damp from his sweat. After tossing and turning for more than an hour, he threw the covers off and sat up before pelting a pillow at the wall and clenching his jaw. If only he could yell.
Tears streamed down his face, his breaths coming hard and fast. Where was God when he needed Him? Jayden sucked in a long breath and let it out slowly. Eventually he calmed. The Bible sitting on the bedside table caught his attention. His shoulders slumped as he glanced heavenward. God, if You’re really on my side, I need to hear from You now. He reached for the Bible and flipped it open to 1 Peter 5:7, one of the verses Angie suggested he memorize. He read the verse aloud: “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” Yeah, right. Do you really care, God? He re-read the verse and continued on.
As he continued reading, his heart calmed, and assurance that God really did care grew within him. He didn’t need to be anxious because God, the Creator of the universe, was on his side, and somehow it would all work out. Even if his mother was a murderer and he was illegal.
He closed his eyes and prayed. He prayed for himself, for Mom, for Dad and Tessa, for what was going to happen with him being illegal, and with Angie. As he prayed, a strength he couldn’t explain coursed through his body, and he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that whatever happened, he’d survive. God was with him.
THE TRUE LOVE SERIES BOX SET: A Christian Romance Page 49