Twist of Faith

by Kelly A. Purcell

18

  Finish A Fight

  The room was warm. Not just from the freshly prepared meal that lay before him but from the people gathered around the dining table. Lisa’s family which included her mother, her bearded bald headed father, younger brother, grandmother and uncle, were all smiling widely as they held humorous dinner conversation. Tossing subtle knowing glances at the young couple sitting side by side at the lower end.

  Lisa looked over at him and frowned, “what’s wrong?” she asked, motioning to his untouched lunch.

  Reuben shrugged and forced a smile, feeling terribly out of place and so guilty. He was ashamed by how much he didn’t want to be here; all he could think about was Alex. He kept replaying the image of her walking away from him with that hurt look on her face, the anger behind those captivating eyes all caused by him. Though he didn’t know what he’d really done to hurt her, he still felt rotten, like he’d left her in a worse position than he’d met her.

  “Here have some sweet potato pie,” Lisa said, lifting the dish toward him, her wide grin failing to mask her concern.

  “No thanks,” he said.

  Lisa pursed her lips thoughtfully, “but you love sweet potato pie. Are you sick?”

  Their conversation had long reached the ears of the others on the table and they were now looking on unabashedly. Sister Hagley wore the deepest frown as she regarded them through her thick spectacles.

  “No Lisa, I just don’t want any right now, alright,” he said, slightly annoyed.

  Lisa put down the dish and looked over at him sharply.

  “You’re not still worried about that girl from the beach are you?”

  Reuben pouted, “Of course I am,” he said softly, “she’s my friend and am afraid she might do something stupid.”

  “Are you sure you’re not just afraid she might do something with someone other than you,” she looked at him with eyes that had gone from warm chocolate to cold, hazardous wet mud.

  “What are you implying?” he asked, feeling the rare swirl of anger within him.

  Lisa inhaled sharply, looking over at her suddenly quiet family from the corner of her eyes, “how about we take this outside,” she said, getting up from her seat. It wasn’t a question.

  Reuben got up awkwardly and asked to be excused, feeling the heat of suspicious eyes on his back as he turned away.

  Lisa was leaning against the veranda wall, arms folded across her chest, lips pouted. Reuben swallowed hard as he approached her, he knew her long enough to know that her anger was like a hurricane. Once she got something in her head, you’d have a hard time convincing her that it’s just not that.

  “What do you mean by what you said in there?” he asked again.

  “I’m not stupid Reuben. Craig told me all about this Alex girl, how you’ve been dragging her all over the place since Christmas, and I saw the way she looked at you yesterday at the beach. And you know what? It wouldn’t have bothered me; she’s young and naive they’re supposed to be easily enamoured. But then I saw the look on your face when she walked away, and now am not so sure it’s just her.”

  He chuckled and shook his head, “I don’t believe this. Why do you always have to corrupt everything? You know me Lisa, everything I do I put my all into it and Alex isn’t just some little girl, she’s determined and caring even though she’s been through a lot. But more importantly and not that it matters to you, but she’s my friend...”

  “Am not questioning any of those things Reuben,” she interrupted.

  “Then what are you questioning?”

  She unfolded her arms and walked toward him, “I’m questioning how much of you, is into this relationship right here.”

  His lips parted to speak but she placed her hand over it.

  “Don’t say anything more Reuben, I know sometimes am really selfish but am not evil, so am just gonna ask you to leave, and think hard about what you want and who you want in your life. And if I don’t have any part of that, I don’t want to see you here again. I’ve been hurt enough,” she smiled wryly, “and so have you, so let’s be realistic this time around alright.”

  She reached up and kissed him lightly on the cheek, then went inside, leaving him gapping.

  He rolled his eyes and started to descend the steps, “I can’t believe that just happened. Just once I’d like to end the quarrel I start,” he muttered, reaching into his pocket for his car keys.

  Reuben kept going over the incident with Lisa in his mind as he drove home, he still didn’t think he was being that disagreeable at lunch. So what if a guy isn’t eating much, it doesn’t mean the relationship is over, he sighed.

  “Lord Jesus, help me out here. I thought I had this thing figured out but it just keeps going wrong. I’m done trying to make everything work on my own. It’s your turn now, I am dead tired,” he prayed.

  As he drove he came upon James strolling in the hot sun meditatively. He slowed down next to him.

  “Hey man, trying to get your tan on,” he joked.

  James looked at him but he didn’t crack a smile. He was clearly angry at something or someone, most likely him.

  “Where you going? you want a lift?” he asked.

  James frowned, looking ahead, still walking while Reuben rolled on beside him, “okay then... so I can see that you’re mad at me,” he said, “but I’m not a very good mind reader so you’re gonna have to tell me what I did.”

  James stopped abruptly and turned to look at him, “you know, you’re right, you’re not a very good mind reader. In fact you’re terrible at seeing beyond your own nose.”

  “What we talking about?” Reuben asked, his brows drawn in confusion.

  “You know very well what I talking ‘bout,” he growled.

  Reuben looked at him for a moment, then looked away thoughtfully, “you’re talking about Alex aren’t you?”

  James continued to glare at him but he didn’t say anything.

  Reuben shook his head, “do you think she really likes me?” he asked, “did she tell you anything?”

  James looked at him, “I warned yuh nuh, but I guess I didn’t cater for it going the other way around,” he said, his lips set in a thin line.

  Reuben shook his head, “well I don’t think you are entirely wrong there,” he said solemnly.

  James narrowed his eyes at him and took a step closer, “what you saying now Reuben?” he asked.

  Reuben shook his head and gnawed on his lower lip, he knew what he wanted to say, but he also knew that things became existent and tangible when confessed and he wasn’t sure if he wanted what was in his mind to become reality just yet. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, a battered Corolla drove past; he wouldn’t have thought anything of it, if James hadn’t ducked suddenly.

  “What is it?” Reuben asked as James yanked open the door and climbed in.

  “Follow em,” he said boldly.

  Reuben frowned at him, “huh?”

  “Do it!”

  The Car jerked forward instantly and stopped, Reuben looked over at James with wide eyes, “I’m not scared of you,” he muttered, “my foot just...”

  “Drive, Reuben!”

  The car sputtered then hurtled forward after the Corolla. Reuben glanced over at James and exhaled, sometimes the guy just scared him when he got that crazy look in his eyes.

  They followed the car to a secluded area off the main road. It stopped, dropped a couple guys off and continued. Reuben looked over at James waiting for the moment when he would come to his senses and call it off, but he looked quite determined.

  “You do know we’re driving a red car right,” Reuben pointed out.

  James nodded, “yeah, park here,” he said.

  “Who are these guys, James?”

  “You remember that night when those guys came after us?”

  Reuben nodded, going back to that scary night when the men hopped up on his car and hooted at them.

 
“Yeah well, they’re a gang and you see that fella there, stepping out the back door, looking as if he’s about to pass out? He’s the reason we’re here.”

  Reuben gasped, “a gang! Are you serious? You’re forgetting something James. Gangs usually have guns and knives and tempers and I don’t think they’ll take being followed lightly. I can’t get cut right now man.”

  James shot him an aggravated look, then turned away again, “Idiot!” he hissed.

  Reuben looked over at him and frowned, “that wasn’t called for, that’s a legitimate fear.”

  “Not you,” he pointed up ahead where three guys were standing about, as though waiting for something, “him, he’s the idiot.”

  Reuben followed James finger and gasped when he saw who he was talking about, “isn’t that Alex’s...”

  “Yeah,” replied James as he opened the car door and got out.

  “Keep the car running and don’t come out,” he instructed.

  Reuben looked on in horror as James made his way toward the group.

  “What! Are you crazy?” he called.

  James moved stealthily toward the commotion, until he got as close as was safe, stooping behind a wide brush. This wasn’t the first time James had done something so impulsive but fear was never absent, neither was the anxious pounding in his chest. The difference between now and then was that now there was something stronger propelling him, and that was a divine understanding of his place in God’s eyes. An understanding and deep trust in purpose and protection. So as he eyed the group, his face set as hard as stone with a determination like fire in his dark eyes, fear and human reasoning were overridden by a feeling of responsibility.

  Michael was standing with his back to him, his locked hair tied up with a rubber band, dressed in an oversized white t-shirt, tucked haphazardly into his worn out blue jeans, the pockets bulging. He was speaking to a man, who was smiling patronizingly at him.

  “What are you doing here Mike,” James whispered to himself, praying for God to open a way for him to get Mike out of there, without getting some bullets in his back.

  “What have we here?”

  James eyes widened as he felt strong arms descend on his shoulders, yanking him to his feet. James remained calm as he was dragged from his hiding place and into the midst of the scowling gang, and thrown onto the ground. He stared up at his captor; a robust man with a scruffy beard and a bandanna tied around his close shaved head, glared down at him.

  “We have a little maco it look like,” came a buttery voice from behind him.

  James swallowed hard, he knew that voice, despised that voice. He turned in its direction. He wasn’t expecting Giant to be among these guys, but he didn’t flinch. Instead he held the other man’s glare with equal intensity.

  The thin sloe eyed man stepped toward James, without the long darkened scar trailing down the length of his face, from his temple to the end of his cheek, he would look like the most unfortunate high school drop out that James believed he was. But here among his minions he was known as Giant. A poetic title when compared to his rather petite stature, which was even more apparent as the four other burly men that comprised his crew drew up behind him, hands already resting on their waistbands like uncouth cowboys.

  James regarded them with a calm that surprised even him. As Giant stared at him with narrowed eyes.

  “I know you,” he said.

  A confused Michael stepped out from behind the men, his brows drawn together in an unbelieving frown. He perused James broad, muscular frame kneeling on the ground looking up at the men and frowned.

  “And I know you,” James replied, he kept intense eyes on Giant, still astutely aware of the men closing in on him.

  “But I’m not here to cause no trouble,” he bit his lip and shook his head, fighting to keep his temper under control.

  It was hard to look at Michael, he was the image of his greatest hurt. He could see in Michael’s bold brown eyes, that he was catching on to James’ game. James saw the way he fingered the buckle of his belt nervously and he realized Michael really didn’t want to be here. James looked him right in the eyes, hoping he could communicate what he couldn’t say, hoping Mike could see that he was throwing him a lifeline here.

  “I can’t say is a pleasure to see you again Jay Jay, unless tha’ pleasure come from beating the life out ah you,” Giant said, his lopsided smile, making him look more like momma’s boy than a fiend.

  “What are you doing here Jay? Looking to sell me out too?”

  James stayed silent, Okay Lord, now would be good.

  James narrowed his eyes at the shaking young man, he was right, Michael hadn’t changed much, he’d just built up very thin layers of bravados. He could see the little boy from Chris’ stories with the quick smile and the terrible sense of humour, who lived to sing and dance in the shower. He was still very close to the surface, and right now he was in way over his head and scared out of his wits about it.

  Giant grunted, he glanced back at the car, where the products were clearly stashed and his lips parted to speak, just as a screeching sound was heard above them.

  They all looked up to see a black Escudo hurtling toward them. It stopped with a lurch and men started climbing out of it.

  James eyes didn’t miss a thing, he noticed the bandannas in their pockets, the angry sneer on each of their faces and most importantly, the weapons in their hands. He felt his heart pounding against his chest, it looked like a deal going sour. James’ eyes scanned the area, identifying a usable weapon. He glanced over at Giant and he could see from the look on his face, that he was thinking it too. His hands started sliding to his waist, his men followed suit; everything seemed to have slowed down.

  James fell into the rhythm, the slow, waiting rhythm of impending disaster, easing to his feet; he stretched out his hand and pushed a frightened Michael subtly behind him and he started to step back slowly.

  “What happen?” Giant was saying, addressing the biggest scariest man of the opposing gang.

  The man sneered at him; his lips were so thick, that when he turned them up, they looked like a snout.

  “This is the last time Giant!” he bellowed, and his men launched out after Giants crew; bearing down on them with all their might.

  James shoved Michael backward and he went tumbling down the hill. James, keeping his eyes on the action, swiftly scooped up a rusted piece of iron from the dust and swung it, catching the approaching villain in the side, he then turned on his heels and dived after Michael.

  “Jay-Jay, yuh feel yuh can’t dead eh!” Giant cried after him.

  Michael looked over at him with a frown, “Who are you? What yuh trying to do?” he asked.

  “Let’s go,” James said.

  Michael was shaking his head, confusion written all over his face.

  “You want to go up there and join the fist fest?” James countered, growing impatient.

  Michael said nothing.

  “I thought so. Come on get to the car!” he commanded, shoving him ahead of him.

  They pelted towards Reuben’s car, “Let’s go!” James called as he yanked the door open.

  Reuben looked at the two of them with wide eyes just before he skidded off, swerving into the road like a crazed getaway driver.

  “What’s going on!” he squealed when they were a safe distance away, he glanced over his shoulder at the panting man in the back.

  “You took him!”

  James chuckled, “more like I rescued him. Michael this is Reuben the man who broke your sister’s heart,” James said nonchalantly, ignoring the sharp glare from Rueben.

  “What? Look man forget all that, who the hell are you? And how the hell you know me?”

  James lifted a finger, “I just saved your behind back there and that’s all you need to know for now.”

  “Bull...”

  “nuh uh,” James interrupted, “use your dinner table language.” />
  Michael took a deep breath and leaned back, folding his arms across his chest in a huff, “I don’t believe this, all yuh kidnapping me eh.”

  James laughed, “no Mikey, why would we want to kidnap a drug dealer.”

  “I am not a...”

  Sensing Michael’s need to use an obscenity again, James cut him off, “it’s fine,” he said, “all you need to know is that there are people looking out for you, people who have never forgotten you and people who care about your future enough to sacrifice theirs and one very significant influence balancing that all out.”

  “What’s that?” Michael asked, calmer now and more relaxed.

  “The question is who Mikey,” he turned back and smiled at him, “and the answer is Jesus.”

  Michael’s eyes grew wide, “Oh my God, this can’t be happening, yuh gonna drag me to a church somewhere and convert me!” he cried.

  James laughed, “boy you haven’t changed one bit,” he said.

  “Let me out!” Michael yelled.

  James looked at Rueben, “let him out,” he said, “he can walk home from here.”

  “Wait...” Michael started, as the car slowed to a stop; he hesitated, looking from Reuben to James, then he settled on James, avoiding his eyes, “thank you,” he said and got out of the car.