“Yes, Uncle Chris, can we hear the story?” the other two asked, looking at him in anticipation.
“Give me a minute.” He put down his pleading niece. “I am going to have some words with your grandma.”
“Okay,” they agreed.
He went into the television room and greeted his brothers-in-law, who were eating snacks and watching television.
“Yow Chris,” Keith greeted him. He was married to his sister Marie and was always trying hard to talk with a Jamaican accent; the rest of the family found his attempts hilarious.
“Yow,” Chris greeted them and then headed for the kitchen. “Mom, Marie, Fiona, Camille,” he nodded to them all, a frosty expression on his face. “There is no story. Do not hatch plans to assault me with questions or badger me about anything. I had a relationship, it's over! I am even seeing someone new—end of story.”
“Okay,” Marie said, nodding.
“You can't talk anything around children.” Fiona kissed her teeth. “So who was the relationship with and who are you seeing now?”
Chris sighed, sat down in the breakfast nook and looked across at them. “Don’t you think its less than manly for me to be hanging around in the kitchen gossiping with women, when Dad and the rest of the guys are in the TV room watching football?”
“Nah,” Camille said, sitting on a bar stool, “after seriously cross examining Daddy he said you broke the seventh and the tenth commandment, all in one go, and that you have dragged him and Mommy into sharing your guilt by breaking the ninth.”
“Lord, help me.” Fiona headed to a bookcase in the corner and reached for a Bible. “It is an indictment on me that I have to go to look up which commandment is which.”
“Not you alone,” Marie laughed.
“Give the boy a break,” Hyacinth opened the oven to turn the baked chicken. “He is aware of his guilt.”
“But he is an elder in the church,” Camille said shocked, “so many commandments broken at once. Have you confessed your sins to Jesus?” Camille asked Chris wide-eyed.
Chris ignored her. “That’s none of your business, and I am no longer an elder.”
“You are supposed to be setting an example for others. You did lead the church. Sin cannot be taken casually,” Camille said, “and before you call me self-righteous, I am aware that I am also a sinner.”
“Hold on,” Fiona said, thumping through the Bible. “Before you give Chris a lecture, let me see what commandments he is supposed to have broken. Okay.” She reached Exodus 20. “The first commandment is ‘you shall have no other gods before me,’ that makes, one, two three.” She ran her hands down the commandments. “Seven being, ‘you shall not commit adultery.’” Her eyes widened and she looked up at her brother,
“What! You committed adultery!”
“He's not married,” Fiona laughed, taking the bible from Marie, who was contemplating her brother in shock.
“This is ridiculous,” Fiona snickered. “So what's the tenth commandment?” She looked in the Bible. “You shall not covet your neighbor's house, wife, servants, animals, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
Marie still looking at her brother in incredulity whispered, “House, wife, servant, animal.”
“Wife!” both Fiona and Marie said together.
“Oh, Chris,” Camille shook her head. “You had an affair with her didn’t you?”
“You mean Kelly?” Fiona's jaws dropped.
“He's been living in sin for eleven years,” Marie whispered. They all looked at Chris bug-eyed. “Coveting his neighbor's wife.”
“The pastor's wife.” Camille clarified. “So how is it that you caused Mommy and Daddy to sin?” She was looking at Chris and shaking her head in disappointment
Chris looked at them in half amusement. Secrets didn’t last long in his family, he was quite aware of that. When he told his parents what he didn’t expect was for them to parade his guilt around and for him to feel so wretched. He closed his eyes and leaned his head on the wall.
“The ninth,” Fiona said running her fingers through the commandments again, “is you shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. How does that fit in?”
“False testimony is when you lie,” Marie said squinting. “So he caused Mommy and Daddy to lie for him…how?”
They turned to Hyacinth. “Mommy you are silent around there. How did you lie for Chris?”
Hyacinth shrugged. “We haven’t exactly lied for him, just omitted to tell the truth to Theo, I can barely look him in the eyes at church and I have been avoiding Kelly.”
Camille nodded, “since you know about the whole affair and you haven’t told the pastor you are like accessories to the crime that Chris committed.”
“Something like that,” Hyacinth said, getting vegetables from the fridge.
“That would make us accessories too, now that we know,” Marie said, “first thing next Sabbath I am going to church and I am going to sing to the pastor like a canary.”
Chris opened one eye. “You will do no such thing.”
“You need to come clean,” Camille said heatedly. “Tell the man that you slept with his wife and then confess your sins to God.”
“And,” Marie said, “when they break up maybe then you can get your chance, marry her and you two can live together then. Isn’t that what you always wanted?”
“Not so fast,” Fiona held up her hands, “if he marries Kelly after a divorce she is the guilty party then they would be committing adultery. She would not free to remarry.”
“Huh,” Marie said glancing at Fiona, “where'd you get that from?”
“The Bible,” Fiona said smirking, “somewhere in Matthew 19, I think its verse 9.”
Marie sighed. “That’s so sad, now my little brother is going to be single for the rest of his life. You know, I like Kelly and from the looks of things, he's never going to find anyone else while Kelly is still alive.”
“He did say he found someone else,” Camille reminded Marie looking over at her brother, “who is she? And why didn’t you bring her to brunch so we could check her out … I mean welcome her to the fold of this loving family.”
Hyacinth snorted, “I don’t like her, she's too high strung and snobbish.” She shuddered. “I think he went from one extreme to the other in choosing this girl. She is the complete opposite of Kelly. I think she's obnoxious, though I've met her only once.”
“What's her name?” Marie was looking over at her brother, who was pretending to be meek and quiet as he usually did when he found himself in the midst of their discussions.
“Estella,” Chris said smiling; he opened his eyes. “Estella Williams, she goes to the Great Pond church, sings on the choir. She has a lovely personality don’t listen to Mommy.”
“Are you still in love with Kelly?” Fiona asked earnestly.
They all looked at Chris and waited. He looked from one to the other, his heart giving him a little squeeze each time her name was called. Was he still in love with Kelly? Of course, but he wouldn’t be telling them anything.
“When is dinner going to be ready?” He asked half smiling.
“I knew he wasn’t taking this seriously,” Camille murmured. “Go join the men, we have plenty of things to talk about behind your back.”
Chris grunted, “Can I get a drink first?”
“Sure,” Fiona handed him a drink.
“I am sending in the kids,” Chris said to them, “that way I am sure to get a blow-by-blow account of this chat. Carry on.”
CHAPTER TEN
The Three Rivers Church was usually packed on Sabbaths, but it was an especially tight fit in December. Returning residents, vacationers and family members of regular church members would attend the various programs that heralded the ending of the year. It was Theo's busiest time and Kelly stood in the vestry watching as he greeted a few of his elders.
These days she rarely spent time in the main church. She would sit with the baby in the mother's room and w
atch the proceedings from the television screen that was setup in the sound proof room.
Today she was going to sit with her mother-in-law, Valda, in the main church, but as usual she would slip away when the baby began to cry. She was not too comfortable with sitting in the main sanctuary because she did not want anyone to sit and stare at the baby and come up with any new theories about his paternity.
Valda had arrived in Jamaica on Thursday and several times had commented on how unusual the baby's complexion was, in comparison to the rest of the family. Kelly had been very grateful that Chris no longer came to church or her very astute mother-in-law would have noticed the resemblance and said something to Theo.
“Sister Kelly.” Pauline the director of the children's choir came to shake her hand. “I have not seen you around the children's division in a while, but I understand.”
Kelly smiled. “I can't say that I miss you guys, Sister P. With two children and a baby with a healthy pair of lungs. I am glad for the break.”
Pauline laughed and turned to the older woman standing beside Kelly, “Sister Palmer, I swear you get younger every time I see you.”
Valda laughed. “Hello, Pauline. It is a pleasure to be back home in Jamaica and to see you.”
“Your grandchildren will be singing solo parts in the choir today,” Pauline smiled, “that should be an extra special treat for you and the family, have a great day.”
Valda nodded and then turned to Kelly. “Give me the baby, I'll go inside now while you greet your friends.”
Kelly handed her the baby and then turned around—her eyes collided with Hyacinth Donahue's.
She came over to Kelly with a determined look in her eyes, “Pleasant morning, Sister Kelly.” She had on a broad hot-pink hat that matched her suit and shoes. She looked so dainty and elegant that for a moment Kelly felt gauche.
“Good morning,” Kelly smiled at her.
Hyacinth lowered her voice and asked, “Can I have a word with you outside?”
They walked outside and stood under a tree which was surrounded by some beautiful caladium flowers. The breeze lifted Kelly's curls and she swiped her hair away from her face.
“Yes Sister Hyacinth,” she looked at Chris' mother intently, a trickle of fear in the pit of her stomach alerting her to the fact that this might not be good news. Hyacinth had gone out of her way to avoid her since she had returned to church. She had thought it strange and had even wondered if Chris had told his parents but had quickly dismissed it from her mind.
“My husband warned me about talking to you about this,” Hyacinth looked at Kelly pleadingly, “I feel so cut up when I see that woman, Sister Valda, with my grandson and I am not able to go near him or to even look at him properly. I just would like the opportunity to know him too. That’s all I am asking. Is it too much to ask?”
Kelly froze. Her knees felt weak and she felt a faint sensation in her head, she quickly leaned on the tree, crushing a caladium or two in her hurry to find support.
“Chris told you?” She whispered hoarsely.
“Yes,” Hyacinth said earnestly. “We don’t want to make trouble for you or get involved in the whole situation, but in here,” she pressed her chest, “I hurt. I want to meet him properly…I am very family-oriented you know.”
Kelly cleared her throat, “Hyacinth, Mark is not your family. He's a Palmer. He's mine and Theo's. Chris and I were never supposed to happen.”
“But it did,” Hyacinth said a steely glint in her eye, “and I want to meet my grandchild. That’s not too much to ask is it? It's Christmas season, my other three grandchildren are here but I just want to hold him.”
“Your daughters are here?” Kelly asked, her mind clicking in overdrive, one of the daughters Marie had two sons and the other Fiona had a daughter. The three children could be siblings, the way they resembled each other―same hazel eyes, pink lips, light skin, just like her son. She shuddered. “Are they at church today?”
“Oh yes,” Hyacinth said smiling, “I got Sister Pauline to involve my grandchildren in the children's choir.”
That would mean that Valda would see them singing. Please God, let her not try to put two and two together, Kelly inhaled sharply. Was this to be her last day of escape before Theo found out about her infidelity?
She glanced at Hyacinth and sighed, “I can't. I am sorry.”
Hyacinth shrugged, “I might have to tell Pastor Palmer then.”
Kelly laughed a hint of hysteria coating her voice. “Blackmail,” she threw up her hands, “first thing in the morning at church! Do whatever, I don’t care.”
She stomped off toward the entrance of the church, leaving Hyacinth behind.
*****
She entered the foyer, which had interior stonework of a warm brown color, and attractive poinsettias in matching gold pots scattered throughout the space. Usually the décor would have a calming effect on her but even after inhaling and exhaling rapidly, the feeling of panic persisted. She tried to calm her nerves but felt jumpy and anxious. For the past two days she was walking on a knife's edge, first with her mother-in-law and now Hyacinth.
Hyacinth was the least likely blackmailer she thought, but now here she was at church threatening to tell her husband the truth.
If he wasn’t going to preach today, she would run around to the vestry and confess to him first. But then again the fall out that she envisioned it would cause always held her back. Today might just be her Waterloo.
“Looking great in red, Sister Kelly.” Erica came behind her.
Kelly jumped, “Oh, it’s you.”
“Yes me,” Erica felt her cheek, “are you feverish or something? You look spooked.”
“Can you believe that Hyacinth Donahue just threatened to tell Theo that Mark is not his child?”
Erica gasped, “She knows?”
“Yes,” Kelly said frustrated, “it seems as if Chris went and blabbed to his parents.”
Erica whistled, “That woman is going to hound you. The whole clan will want to have something to do with your child.”
“That’s not all,” Kelly whispered fiercely, “her grandchildren, all three of them, will be singing on the choir today and you know how much they look alike.”
“Mmmm,” Erica murmured, “why is that a big deal, nobody in their right mind would conclude that your baby is a Donahue just by that.”
“Yes they will,” Kelly's hands and lips started to tremble, “Valda is here, she has been mumbling all week about the baby's lack of resemblance to anybody in her family. I am doomed,” Kelly whimpered.
“You are paranoid,” Erica whispered back, waving to a couple who had just entered the foyer, “pull yourself together.”
“I can't,” Kelly shook her head, “I am getting it from all sides. My husband is going to leave me and take away my children. The whole world is going to know that I had an affair. The Donahue's will take away my baby and you and Mom will send me to the mental hospital.”
Erica chuckled at the last statement.
“Stop laughing,” Kelly said forcing a smile at a church sister who was looking in their direction, “God is punishing me for all of this. You wait and see. I'll be punished so badly. I think I am losing my mind. Why is it that today, of all days, Hyacinth Donahue had to accost me in the parking lot.”
“She's jealous,” Erica said glancing around. “Theo's mother is getting grandmotherly privileges and she isn’t.”
“I never thought of that,” Kelly had tears in her eyes. “I am going home.”
“No you are not,” Erica grabbed her arm. “We are going to the ladies room. You are going to wipe those tears, and then walk confidently into church, we are going to sit beside Valda and thwart every suggestion that she makes about anything concerning your child's paternity.”
Ten minutes later they entered church. It took Kelly all of five minutes to get composed and another five for Erica to convince her to stay. Kelly almost ran outside when she saw that Valda was sitting in the sa
me pew with Chris' sisters and their spouses.
“Uh oh,” Erica had whispered. “Chin up, don’t worry.”
Kelly smiled politely at everyone and sat beside Valda but the row was so full that Erica had to sit behind them; her one ally was out of earshot and that contributed to Kelly's unease even more.
Chris' sister, Marie, kept glancing over at the baby and his other sister Fiona was looking at her fixatedly as if she had seen a ghost. Kelly could barely go through the motions of worship, she felt as if she was in a war and surrounded by hostile enemy.
The platform party entered the podium and she could barely meet Theo's eyes, he was staring at her with a slight frown and she wondered feverishly if Hyacinth had gotten to him yet.
She felt sick to her stomach and almost forgot to open her Bible for the scripture reading at the prompting of the person at the podium; a timely poke from Erica had snapped her out of it and she had taken up her hymnal instead.
All of this had not gone unnoticed by her husband who was watching her keenly. They sat down for the special song, which was done by the children's choir. She couldn’t even drum up a smile for Thealyn and Matthew who were in the front row—her eyes kept darting to the Donahue children in the front.
Valda whispered to her, “they look adorable in their purple and white choir robes.”
Kelly nodded and forced a smile. At least Valda hadn’t noticed anything unique about the Donahue children.
She breathed a sigh of relief but quickly came on edge again when Mark began to cry.
“I'll take him to the mother's room,” Valda said, and got up before Kelly could say that she would do it.
Kelly watched as Camille, Chris' favorite and closest sister, got up to follow her. Where is she going? Kelly thought in a panic, she hoped it was not to examine her baby more closely.
The agony of it all hit her and she didn’t realize that she missed the whole children's song until the church said Amen, snapping her out of her feverish imaginings and self-agonizing.
Private Sins (Three Rivers Series: Book 1) Page 6