Chapter 27
Six weeks later
José was lying on the floor of his cell waking up from the last round of beatings he received. He looked at the decaying remains of what use to be his hands, agony had long left his body he knew he couldn’t handle much more. His cell walls were covered with the pictures of the women and men he had either killed or destroyed. The music constantly played. He couldn’t even bring himself to rage against the walls of the cell anymore. The music that was now playing was “Oops, I did it again,” by Britney Spears. The song grated in his head like nails on a chalk board. He wanted nothing but death at this point. He couldn’t survive much more torture from the brothers. In his mind they were sicker than he ever had been or could be. He couldn’t even remember how long he had been stuck in this cell.
They had water boarded him repeatedly, beaten him with socks filled rolled quarters and bars of soap, they even went as far as driving metal stakes into his upper arms were they would send electrical current through him until he lost control of his bodily functions, leaving him to sit in his own excrement.
The door swung open and the brothers walked in. “What else is there left to do to me you son of a bitches?” He cried out. They looked at one another and smiled. “We haven’t started yet.” they replied as they grabbed him up by his hair. Half leading and half dragging him down the tunnel to the beach. They secured him to the rails just outside of the tunnel. Looking through his swollen eyes the bright sun was painful to him. He hid his face as best he could as the sun began to warm him. The bothers looked at him with a bit of pity as they grabbed their surf boards to enjoy the huge waves that were hitting the beach that day. Gabriel hit the water first with Michael just behind.
When they got out past the waves they sat in the water looking back at the douche bag that had killed their y brother. Shaking his head Michael looked to Gabriel and asked “How are things with you and Raven?” Michael asked. “They are absolutely great! I'm falling hard for her dude. I'm thinking I'll ask her for her hand in marriage.” Michael looked at his little brother and smiled a big old grin. “Gabriel you do realize she is a ball buster?” he said laughing.
He turned serious quickly. “Do you remember the feelings you had when you first met Theresa? How you couldn’t get her out of your mind or heart. Remember that you looked forward to every moment the two of you had together, whether it was a date or just sitting and talking, or even when you did nothing but just sit silently next to one another? Well, that's how I've been feeling. Now that I have gotten to know her heart while she took care of me and afterward, ya know? I just can’t get enough of being with her, thinking about her... I actually think I fall more in love with her every day!” He finished his thought and looked at his brother.
Michael took in what he had said and thought back to when he and Theresa had first met. He knew exactly what he was talking about. Actually, the feeling never stopped between them. If Gabriel could find that he was happy for him. He just had to mess with him first. That’s what brothers do he thought to himself.
“So dude, have you told her about your unique ability? You know the one where you can go into people’s hearts and minds? Make them do crazy shit. You know your whole “psychic sexual fantasies thing?” Oh wait, she figured that part out on her own didn't she? Have you actually told her about all the women you had before her?” Gabriel was visibly pissed off at this point. “You know I have only been with one woman my whole life and that ended before it even started!!” You're really starting to piss me off!!” he said loudly.
He started laughing hysterically recalling that the one woman Gabriel spoke of was in fact one of his best weekends ever. “Hey man, you went to that whore house with us willingly. You can’t blame me that all that was left was a 350 pound girl from the local trailer park. And if I recall correctly you still did the nasty!” Gabriel started to throw a punch at him but realized he had just been given his own truth back. “Okay you got me. Should I really tell her about that?” Michael smiled. “No. The only people that will know about that weekend are the ones that were with us. Besides, it's been damn near twenty years since then and we've taken a different path, wouldn’t you say?” Gabriel thought about it for a minute as he calmed down. “I guess you are right. I don’t need to tell her that. Do I need to tell her anything else Michael?” Michael saw that José was trying to get out of his restraints. He looked over at his little brother. “Have you told her you loved her yet?” While Gabriel watched the broken little man he said. “You know what? I haven’t told her that yet!”
As the brothers took turns riding the huge waves as the other kept an eye on their prisoner on shore. Michael finished his wave and paddled back looked at his brother, his face now completely serious. “Gabriel, do you really love her like Dad loved mom and I love Theresa?” With no hesitation he answered with a clear “Yes!!!” With that, Michael “So what are we waiting for? Go talk with your future bride and Pops. But help me get that asshole off of the beach first.” They got a wave back to shore enjoying the cold winter water on their skin. When they got to Jose, they raised him from the sand, taking a good look at what was left of him. “Wow! The sun really messed him up. It'll be a bitch recovering from that!” Gabriel said.
Michael looked at the guy and mercy overcame him. “Hey, are you getting bored with this yet?” he asked. Gabriel looked down at the shell of the man. As he did he felt the same? “Yeah, I am.” “I think we've done enough to him. I will call Pops and he can put the bullet in him. Knowing that old man, he will find some way to get rid of the guy that you or I could never think of.” They carried him back to his cell. Dropping him in the room they changed the music to a sound bite of “Can’t we all just get along?” being played over and over.
When they got up to the kitchen they were greeted by Maree, Raven and Theresa. Theresa looked at them and rolled her eyes. “You two have been playing dirty again haven’t you?” Both men looked at her with a funny grin. “Who, us?” they said together, we were just surfing dudettes. The group began to laugh at the failed attempt at acting innocent.
Theresa looked over at Raven. “How did things turn out for Aubry and her mother?” Maree answered. “They're still at the house undergoing counseling and job training. Mary's about to finish a course that will give her the skills she needs to work in just about any office. She has an interview in the next couple of days with one of Doc Morgan’s associates. She could be working the back office for a decent OB/GYN. Aubry has healed for the most part and was testing to see if she could get accepted to Biola University.” Hearing this, the boys turned sharply. “What?” they both exclaimed. “That school wouldn’t even take us!” Maree and Theresa laughed. “Guys, we all know you had to create your own school just so you could get accepted!” Raven just looked at the group. She felt more at ease but still felt like a bit of the outsider. Little did she know that was going to change rather quickly!
Gabriel cleared his throat getting everyone's attention. “Hey all, I wanted you to be here for this.” He rounded the island and stopped in front of Raven. He rested his hands on her shoulders. “You know I've been thinking a lot lately. There seems to be something missing from me. I can’t put my finger on it but something just isn’t right. I feel like I need to give something away.” Raven and everyone looked at him, no one able to make much sense out of what he was saying until he reached into the back pocket of his shorts and knelt down before her. “I think what I am missing is someone to love me and for me to love. I think I need to give you this and ask if you would do me the honor of being my bride, my lover, and my best friend.” He opened the box to reveal a beautiful diamond ring. Maree and Theresa were both starting to cry over how romantic Gabriel was. Raven looked at his emerald green eyes and the ring. She pulled him to his feet, gently placing her hand under his chin as he reached eye level. Without a word she gave him a long passionate kiss.
Michael interrupted. “Are you going to tell us what Gabriel ate for breakf
ast?” Theresa slapped him teasingly while the two kept kissing. Finally Michael broke in again. “Get a room you two!!” The two stopped kissing Raven looked at them all then back at Gabriel. On her finger was the ring. How did he do that? Then she noticed G-2 had walked into the room with Grandpa Fred and her partner Dennis.
“Are we interrupting?” Fred asked. “No, not at all. I was just going to tell everyone that my answer to Gabriel is…”YES!!!” she said as she jumped into his arms for another kiss. The room erupted in cheers and clapping! G-2 walked over to her and gave her a big hug as he kissed her cheek. “See I told you, you were a beautiful woman!!” She blushed at the little boy.
Michael walked over to Theresa as Fred and Dennis held G-2 and Maree. Looking at Raven and Gabriel they all smiled knowing that soon the two would start an adventure of their own. All with the foundation built on the word and sharing the same life purpose.
“Where are we going to have this wedding?” Fred asked. Gabriel looked at Raven and the rest of the group. “I'd like it if you'd marry us in the back yard of your place Fred.” He agreed without even thinking it through. “When?” He asked. They looked at one another with the same question in their eyes. “How about April 10th” said Gabriel as he looked at his older brother knowing that would be his birthday.
The date had been set just about a month or so out. The women left the room to go plan, the men looked at one another knowing fear about money was useless. The women were always smarter with the money then they were. Fred asked “Why was I called down here boys?” Michael and Fred walked out of the room to talk. Gabriel looked at Dennis and G-2. “Why don’t we go do some surfing?” With a big grin they walked out of the kitchen to catch some waves. Little G-2 bragging to Dennis that he didn’t even need a wet suit anymore! “I'm tough like my uncle!” Dennis just laughed.
Michael and Fred walked down to the cell block. “I felt that you should have the last dig at the man that killed Francis.” Fred looked at the man lying on the floor. “I think I can figure something out with my old partner. I'll call you when we're ready to pick him up.” Michael agreed and they walked out of the room heading down to the beach. Michael grabbed a thick glove as they walked out the garage to the tunnel.
As they watched the younger ones playing in the surf Michael put the glove on and gave a whistle three times. Within seconds the huge bald Eagle began to swoop down gracefully landing on his gloved hand. As Fred looked at “Freedom” he told Michael he had an idea for using the bird in the funeral, oops he meant wedding. Michael laughed out load as he fed his pet. Then he lifted his arm sending the bird back to fly free.
Chapter 28
Fred and Denise’s back yard sat silent with fifty chairs awaiting the arrival of guests. In front of the chairs stood a small Mesquite wood pulpit that had been worked tirelessly to produce a flat surface from the knotty hard wood. Michael looked out the sliding glass doors at the pulpit and couldn’t help but notice that Fred would be standing in what looked to be a freshly tilled patch of dirt about the size of a grave.
Michael let his mind wander for a moment; could he have let his sense of humor go so far? He shook the thought out of his head as Fred and Gabriel walked up behind with a celebratory shot of Cabo Wabo Reposada blue agave tequila. One for his birthday and one for being the best man at the wedding, sipping the tequila, savoring the taste as it ran down his throat, Michael looked over at Fred pointing to the fresh mound of dirt just outside the window. “What's that all about Pops?” Fred just looked at the mound with a mischievous smile. “Where did that come from?” he said. Michael laughed at him. His thoughts about his sense of humor were confirmed by the expression. Gabriel now noticed the freshly turned dirt. “Wow, Denise’s new garden area looks more like a grave site than a garden.” Fred looked at Michael and gave him a sheepish wink. “We seem to have a few gardens like that back there don’t we Michael?” Michael let out a laugh, knowing of only one other possible body in the back yard.
The men went about having cigars and one more shot of Tequila, the alcohol not even fazing them. Looking down at his trusty watch he noticed the time was quickly approaching.
Raven sat in a dressing chair as Theresa finished putting her hair up, the final touch was being added as she completed the braiding of the fresh baby’s breath flowers. Theresa looked at her from all sides. “Raven you're going to knock Gabriel over when he sees just how stunning you are.” Maree and her daughters all agreed. Denise sat in the corner joyfully crying as she saw the strength in all these women. “Well Raven, stand up and let us see the whole ensemble” she finally said through her tears.
Raven stood up as Maree placed her veil on her head. She was more beautiful than she could have ever imagined just three months earlier. As she looked at herself in the full length mirror she was quite impressed with how the strapless dress hung just above her slight showing of cleavage. Her body tanned from the days spent walking the beach with the love of her life and her brown eyes had a sparkle that was even more intense now as she had finally found a freedom from her past. What she once thought was the most hideous scar on her body was exposed to the world right now and no one seemed to notice it. They all knew how to look at what was inside, not the outside.
Theresa looked at the clock in the bathroom. “Well, all, it is that time!!” she said with excitement in her voice. Maree and her girls finished their primping as Denise made herself presentable. Theresa excused herself to go check on the men. As she came into the kitchen she could see that they were seating the guests as they arrived for the wedding.
When the last guest arrived Michael almost couldn’t stop laughing at how his childhood friend walked from all the medals he had on his chest. His friend had just become the first Filipino American to become a General in the Unites States Marine Corps. The two friends shook hands as Gabriel walked up to thank Jay for coming. Gabriel was honored to have such a good man at his wedding. Jay took his seat next to his older brother, their younger brother and the rest of the family taking up two rows of seating. The small band began to play the wedding march.
Gabriel and the rest of the groomsmen took their places. Each of the five men wearing traditional Scottish wedding kilts with the family tartan colors weaved throughout. Michael had on the thick glove of a Falconer, Fred stood behind the pulpit moving his feet to sink slightly into the soft dirt beneath his feet. Doc Morgan looked out over the crowd knowing that this was a perfect day for a wedding and birthday celebration. Next to him stood Gabriel’s lifelong best friend, Seamus McManus. He had just returned from his tour of duty in Afghanistan the night before.
Dennis sat in the back looking at the men in front. He looked to Heaven and whispered quietly, “Only you, Lord, could have made all this happen. Thank you for allowing me to be part of the ride. Mary and Aubry sat next to him, both looking more radiant then either had in their entire life as they echoed Dennis's words.
Unlike traditional weddings Raven walked down the isle alone with Theresa and Maree some five steps behind her. As she reached her place next to Gabriel they turned in unison to face Fred. Theresa and Maree took their places to the side, Theresa holding Gabriel’s ring, as Michael held Ravens.
As Fred began to speak Gabriel tried to look through the veil that obscured his view of his beautiful life mate and partner. “Ladies, Gentlemen and Marines, we are here together today to see the majesty that can come out of the greatest of tragedies. As you all know, Gabriel and Raven met after his brother was brutally murdered by a bunch of thugs. Michael looked down and saw Fred stomping his feet on the ground. He knew the one responsible was buried under that fresh dirt. “Over time, the two of them grew to know the others heart in a way that very few will ever know. They stand before us today to solidify that knowledge of one another in front of us all. In the word of God this is called marriage. Where a man will leave his family and a woman will leave hers and they join together to become one heart. In the twenty five years of being a pastor and counselor I have had
the opportunity to marry many people. Today it is my greatest honor to give away a man I consider to be one of my sons to this woman. Do we have the rings?” Theresa stood giving the ring to Raven as Michael gave the ring to Gabriel. “The couple has brought their own wedding vows for today. I now turn the show over to Gabriel.”
Gabriel took Ravens left hand in his as he began to speak. “Since long before we met, I've longed to find a woman that I could give my whole heart too, the good as well as the bad sides of it, knowing that you would love both. The day you walked into my life my heart stopped beating for a moment I felt you walk in and take your place there. Now, as I place this ring upon your finger, I ask if you, Raven Marie Wagner, would do me the honor of taking on my family name, and taking my heart into yours.” As the ring slid into place next to the engagement ring on her finger she said “I Do”
Raven took Gabriel’s hand into hers. Speaking clearly she said, “All my life I've faced tragedy after tragedy. I was at the point where I had no clue a heart even existed within me until the day I walked into a hole in the wall bar in the San Fernando Valley. At that moment I felt a Presence overtake me. It took me to places my jaded heart could never fathom, but my sinful mind had no place going, all the while you were there breaking down each wall I had built around my dying heart. Like you, I have a good side and a bad side. Would you give me the pleasure of saying you will be my husband, my lover, and most of all, my best friend?” Raven slid the ring onto his finger as he answered “I Do! And I will!!”
Fred looked at them. “With the powers vested in me by the state of California I now pronounce you man and wife, you may kiss the bride.”
Gabriel lifted the veil from her face and his eyes lit up at just how beautiful she looked. Placing his hand gently on her cheek he moved in and gave her the most romantic kiss either of them had ever known. The crowd applauded. As the kiss ended, she bit gently into his lower lip, pulling a soft moan from him. As they turned to look out at the crowd Michael stepped forward and whistled three times. Raising his arm high in the air, the audience looked up to see two Bald Eagles descend from the April sky, landing on his arm.
The Road to Lazarus (The First book in the diaries of Lazarus House) Page 16