by Londyn Skye
J.R slammed the empty money drawer down hard onto the floor and broke it. He then grabbed his oil lamp and made his way toward his two sons’ room. “ROSCOE?! Answa’ me boy!” he screamed, his anxiousness continuing to build as he stomped down the hallway. “NATHANIEL!” He opened their bedroom door and stepped inside with the light to find it in the exact same shape as his master bedroom. “Roscoe? Nathaniel?” J.R. said with that solemn tone having returned.
J.R.’s heart began beating triple time as he trotted to his infant daughter’s room and flung open the door. “Ellie? Where are ya’ baby? Daddy’s here,” he said, speaking the words in the kindest tone he had ever bothered since she her birth. “ELLIE!” he suddenly erupted after the oil lamp shed light onto the fact that not only was his baby girl gone, but so too was her tiny rocking crib.
Now in a state of hysteria, J.R. full on sprinted into the room of his oldest daughter, knowing now exactly what he would probably find, but still needing to convince himself by seeing it with his own eyes. “MIRANDA?!” he yelled as he damn near broke the hinges off her door. Her bare room hit him like a freight train. He slammed her bedroom door back shut, turned around, ran his hands nervously through his hair, and began panting like he was on the verge of a heart attack. Astonishingly, he still refused to believe what all signs were pointing to.
J.R. dashed back toward the stairs. “Meredith? Sweetheart?” he said softly, having the audacity to call her that endearment for the first time in nearly nine years. “MEREDITH!” he cried out again, stumbling down the stairs. He regained his balance on the bottom floor, but the same could not be said for his escalating emotions. “Meredith! Sweetheart! Where are ya’?” he asked, in the most humble tone that had ever escaped his mouth.
When he got no reply, J.R. then quickly headed toward the front door, but stopped before exiting when he caught sight of an envelope sitting upright on an end table with his name on it. He quickly sat his oil lamp down next to it. Feeling totally flustered, he picked up the letter, tore it open, and nearly ripped the contents inside. Upon opening it, he heard something clink next to his foot on the wood floor. He bent down and picked up what had fallen out of the envelope. He held the precious piece of metal near his eyes to scrutinize it up close. He gazed at it for the longest time, trying to convince himself that it was not his wife’s wedding ring. Still refusing to believe it was hers, he turned his attention to the single piece of paper in his other hand and began to read:
J.R.
There is nothing left to love about you anymore. Actually, I honestly can’t remember why I ever loved you in the first place. You must have beaten those memories clean out of me. But I do know that I’m caring, I’m kind, I’m funny, I’m beautiful, and I’m intelligent. For those reasons, and so much more, I deserve a man who loves me. Most importantly, my children deserve a father who loves them. We all deserve a wonderful life. Those are three extraordinarily simple things that I’m convinced you are completely incapable of ever giving to any of us.
Goodbye forever,
Meredith
The beautiful sentiments Meredith had expressed about herself in that letter were compliments she had not heard from her husband in years. Had it not been for James compassionately reminding her, she would have forgotten altogether that she even possessed such wonderful attributes. Over and over again, J.R. read every single one of the words his brother’s compassion had inspired, hoping they would change, thinking there just had to be some other way to interpret their straightforward meaning. On the third reading, however, J.R.’s tears began pelting the paper that was being held in his quivering hand. It was at that very moment that Jesse Roscoe Adams Junior fully understood how simple words had the power to rock a person to the core of their soul. Without ever laying a single finger on him, Meredith had shattered the lump in her husband’s throat that held back his tears while his father was berating him in his kitchen earlier. All those waiting tears suddenly erupted with force after his wife had brutally cut his spirit into a million little pieces … with nothing more than her handwritten words.
J.R. was so weakened by those brutally honest words that he was unable to even stand anymore. He walked outside and sat down on his porch steps feeling totally alone, in every sense of the meaning. He had never felt like more of a nothing in all his life. His own namesake expressed his hatred for him. Duke had just told him he was worthless. His father had blatantly told him so as well. Meredith’s letter and her actions now proved that she concurred with all three of them. J.R. continued to sit there with all their words swirling in his head, aching over the fact that his wife had not only snatched his children away, but her love as well. He wailed her name repeatedly while bawling, sounding like the broken, cowardly man that he had always been. Jesse would have never been able to stomach the sight of his namesake breaking down like a lily-livered little girl. Had he currently been standing there, he probably would have shot J.R. on the spot for the most pathetic, unmanly display of shoulder-heaving, mucus-inducing sobs one ever could have witnessed. J.R. sat on that porch for hours, crying harder than his wife ever had in the twelve miserable years she had spent dealing with his violent physical, mental, and emotional abuse.
On that night and for the rest of her life, Meredith proved herself to be a stronger woman than her husband ever was a man. Determined to give her children and herself the wonderful life that they all deserved, she never once returned to that house of horrors or spoke to J.R. ever again.
Chapter Thirty-One
Slave Code
Article XII Section III
All ministers, pastors, and magistrates, or other persons whatsoever, who do usually join people in marriage, shall not, upon any pretense, join in marriage any negro whatsoever or mulatto slave with any white person. Persons failing to abide shall face fines and penalties to be adjudged by the justices of the provincial court.
Midnight Sunday
April 15, 1860
To my best friend,
One year ago today, I had the honor of watching you walk to the forefront of the amphitheater for the very first time to take a bow after your stellar grand finale. And now tonight, I have the honor of watching you walk down the aisle toward me to become my wife. I can’t think of anything grander than that. I can’t wait for the moment when we are finally bonded together as one. I'll see you at midnight.
Love,
James
Lily had woken up with that letter laying at her bedside. She had read it over and over again with a happy mist of tears in her eyes and a joyous smile on her face. While Lily was reading his letter, James was in church keeping watch over Jesse and fulfilling his unwritten contract with Mary Jo. But he sat in the pew unable to concentrate on the sermon because he missed Lily so much. For three days, he had been sleeping in the back-room of Gideon’s office. He and Lily had promised one another that they would meet again at the altar precisely at midnight, but James had left Corrina with that note to give to Lily on the morning they were due to wed.
For the three days James was gone, every slave on the Adams plantation had snuck away in the middle of the night to the wooded area where Lily and James had forged their bond as children. At James’s request, they had transformed it into outdoor elegance for their wedding night. They had cleared brush, weeds, and rocks on a fifty-foot path between the trees. Now, in the place of the debris was a sea of scattered multicolor flower petals. The trees lining the path had lanterns and flowers tied neatly to each one. It all led up to two tall torches that marked the end of their makeshift altar, which overlooked the creek that they once waded in. The torches sat burning brightly on either side of the log that James and Lily had sat on together when they named Wilbur. Lily had yet to see any of the alterations to the land, though; James wanted it to be a surprise for her.
After reading James’s note, Lily had spent the rest of the day preparing herself to walk down the aisle toward her groom. Corrina helped put the last touches on Lily’s hair and helped her sl
ip into her handmade dress about an hour before midnight. When her bridal transformation was complete, Corrina then held Lily’s hand and made her close her eyes while she guided her out into the woods. “Okay, you can open your eyes now,” Corrina told her once they were there.
When Lily saw the fruits of her dear friends’ labor, she was overcome with emotion. “My God, Corrina, this is just…” She swallowed a surge of tears, much like she had when she saw herself in the wedding gown Isabel had made for her. “It’s breathtakin’,” she said, appreciating every detail of the lighted pathway.
“Not nearly as breathtaking as you,” Lily heard from behind her. She then turned toward the familiar voice. “You are truly a vision.”
When Lily saw who had just given her the wonderful compliment, she immediately lost all ability to hold back her tears. “Williaaam!” she erupted as he opened his arms and welcomed her into his embrace.
“I sure have missed you, m’lady,” he confessed, fighting to hold back his own tears. “You are a wonderful sight for these old eyes,” he said after pulling her back and having a good look at her.
“I’ve missed you too,” Lily replied, looking at him as if she was trying to convince herself that she was not hallucinating. “I can’t believe you’re here. James said you thought it would be best if you didn’t come.” She dabbed at her remaining tears with the handkerchief William handed her.
“Yes, well, I’ve brought in reinforcements,” he said, motioning to his right toward the darkness of the woods.
Lily turned in that direction. “Griff!”
“Hey there little flowa’,” Griff replied, stepping forward into the light with his thumbs tucked into his crooked holster. He was back in all black with his mustache turned downward and twisted perfectly at the ends.
Lily immediately left William’s side and went to hug her favorite security bandit. Little did she know that she was hugging a man who had nearly lost his life defending her precious amphitheater on William’s estate. Despite being shot three times, Griff miraculously survived the Ghost Rider attack on Christmas night. After collapsing onstage, he woke up minutes later and literally dragged himself off the amphitheater, helplessly watching William’s house go up in flames. He blacked out a few times as he slithered in the darkness toward the closest horse he could find. He still had no memory of how he was even able to pull himself up onto it, or of how he ended up back home in bed with dressing on his wounds and his three loving daughters steadfast by his side. However, the memory of the great loss William had suffered stayed locked away with clarity in Griff’s mind. For months, he could not find the strength to forgive himself for what happened there until William sought his help again. William knew that Griff had spent a lifetime being overly protective of his three little girls. In William’s opinion, those naturally engrained instincts to safeguard women made Griff the perfect candidate to resume protecting Lily, and to continue as the leader of the loyal band of misfits. While William was there, he was also sure to express his deep gratitude for how hard he had fought to defend his family and his home. After feeling the sincerity of his words, Griff finally let go of his shame and guilt and forgave himself. But most importantly, he took the job. He was more than ready to fearlessly give his life for Lily and the rest of William’s family all over again. Griff now stood in the woods hugging the “little flower” he was ready to lose his life for. He was notoriously calm and collected most of the time, but much like with his three daughters, Lily always brought out a slight bit of emotion from him.
“I can’t believe you’re here too, Griff! I’m so happy to see you again,” Lily smiled, after pulling back to look at him.
“I’m here to see to it that this weddin’ happens, come hell…” he winked and tipped his black Stetson hat, “or Griff Buchanan.”
Lily laughed. “For that I thank you.”
Austin, the percussionist from the student orchestra, had made the journey as well. He was next to step forward to give Lily a hug. They had become as close as a brother and sister since the day Lily sat next to him near William’s lake, helping to ease his pain over the loss of his mother. When Griff found him and asked if he wanted to attend Lily’s wedding, he was barely able to finish his sentence before Austin gave a resounding yes.
“Good to see you again, Lily,” Austin said with a genuine smile as he hugged her. “You look really beautiful.”
“Thank you, Austin,” Lily smiled. “I missed you. I’m so glad you’re here too.”
“I missed you too. I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
“Neitha’ would we,” the other orchestra members agreed as they stepped forward and took their turns giving Lily a hug.
Wilson and Emerson were next to greet Lily with a hug and congratulations for both the wedding and her new baby. She tearfully thanked them, but when they stepped aside her tears instantly ceased; Elijah had stepped out of the darkness into her view, ready for his turn to offer congratulations. Lily was shocked that he had the audacity to show up after the massive blowout they had in her hotel room just before their performance at Winter Garden. Had she known about his role in the demise of her career, she probably would have demanded Griff to put a bullet through his brain.
“Lily,” Elijah acknowledged, flashing his brilliant smile as he stepped toward her. “You look beautiful,” he said, taking her by the hand and kissing the back of it, as if all was normal between them.
“Thank you, Elijah,” Lily flatly replied, feeling uneasy about him putting his lips on her. She quickly took her hand out of his. “And I just wanted to say that I’m so sorry about your motha’ and fatha’…”
“Lily, this is your weddin’ day,” Elijah interrupted. “No need to take the focus off you right now. We can talk about that lata’.”
Lily flashed an awkward smile. “Unda’stood. Well, considerin’ the circumstances, I truly thank you for bein’ here for me,” she forced herself to say.
“He’s right,” Isabel agreed, stepping up beside her brother, ready for her turn. “This is your beautiful day. I want you to thoroughly enjoy it!”
“Thank you, Isabel!” Lily embraced her, finally feeling true joy return, and quickly forgetting about Elijah’s presence.
Isabel pulled back from Lily’s embrace and held on to both of her hands. “I’m so happy for you!”
“Thank you! And I can’t thank you enough for makin’ this dress. It’s so beautiful!”
“You’re welcome. It was an honor to do somethin’ so special for your weddin’ day.”
“Well, I’m hopin’ you’ll be willin’ to do somethin’ else special for me today.”
“Anything! You name it!”
“Will you be my maid of honor?”
“Oh, I’d love to!” Isabel replied, clapping her hands together in her typical silly schoolgirl fashion.
“Thank you,” Lily replied, tearing up again. She stepped back and surveyed the crowd of people who had come there in her honor. “Thank you to all of you! It means the world to me to have you all here for this incredible day in my life,” she smiled, fighting back another surge of tears.
James was already aware that they all had intentions of attending and surprising Lily. A few days before this night, Griff had shown up at his job and informed him that William was staying in a hotel on the outskirts of town, and that he wanted to speak with him. James waited until nightfall and Griff ushered him to where William was. He was pleasantly surprised to not only find William there, but all of Lily’s friends as well. James was overwhelmed with happiness to learn that they would all be attending the wedding. However, happiness was hardly the emotion when James finally noticed Elijah there. The look on Elijah’s face proved their emotions were mutual. The pair were locked in a momentary stare-down before Elijah stepped forward and offered his hand for James to shake. “Congratulations Adams,” Elijah had said, waiting for James to place his hand in his, internally conceding to the fact that he had lost in his race to win Lily.
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br /> “Thank you,” James replied flatly, finally shaking his hand while continuing the competitive stare-down.
“Look, I know you might not be so comfortable with me bein’ here,” Elijah said boldly. “But where Isabel goes, I go. She’s the only family I have left now,” he emphasized. “So, I’m not about to let ’er outta my sight.”
“I could neva’ argue with a man tryna protect his family,” James replied. “And speakin’ of your family, I wanna offa’ my sincerest condolences for your loss. I truly am sorry.”
“Thank you,” Elijah replied flatly, suddenly squinting his eyes as he continued to glare at James.
Isabel watched their interaction from the corner, feeling incredibly uncomfortable. Everyone else could feel the awkwardness of their exchange as well. William suddenly offered a round of drinks to everyone to ease the tension in the room. With that, they all sat down and ironed out their plan to surprise Lily.
On this Sunday night, James had executed that plan flawlessly. He had waited for his father to succumb to his lifelong habit of drinking himself into a stupor. Once Jesse fell into his typical coma-like sleep, James left the house and went to retrieve everyone from their hotel room. The brood quietly followed him into a heavily wooded area in the middle of nowhere onto the sacred plot of land where he and Lily had spent the most joyful times of their youth together. Once they were there, James took a moment to dive back into nostalgia, explaining to everyone why this place meant so much to him and Lily. He then left them all there waiting in the darkness until Lily arrived. Corrina was in on the plan too, making sure that Lily did not show up until just the right time to be literally embraced by the surprise. In typical William fashion, however, he wanted to be sure that Lily was not the only person to be embraced by a meaningful gift that evening.