by C. B. Hunt
“Who’s Rachel?”
“She was their daughter. They lost her a couple of years back when she was caught in a cross fire during a robbery at the mini-mart.”
“How awful! How old was she?”
His voice dropped as he looked away with glassy eyes. “Just a few years younger than you. Pretty little thing, too. Her loss devastated all of us. She stayed out after curfew and was hanging out with some friends when the store was robbed. She was calling from her cell phone when the bullet caught her. Since then, the folks have become prison guards when it comes to their wards, so beware.”
“I’m so sorry. Losing a child is the most terrible thing for any parent to have to go through. Until you experience it yourself, you never really know how deep the pain is,” Liberty said, her heart aching. “And you? Do you have a wife and children?”
“Neither. I haven’t found the right gal who has the patience for my bull. As for kids, I won’t ever have any.”
“Why not? You seem like you would be a wonderful father,” Liberty said softly. “You’re gentle, caring, and protective—a complete opposite of the type of parents I’ve had.”
“Are you kidding? I’d drive my kids insane because I’d be so overprotective, and they would always be afraid that I’d kill anyone who hurt them. They would hate me.”
“There is a big difference between being overprotective out of love versus trying to control their every thought and action out of selfishness. I’ve only known the latter. As for a woman who has the patience for your behavior, I don’t suppose you have many to pick from since you live in the middle of nowhere.”
Justice grunted. “I’ll have you know that I get out quite a bit, smarty-butt. I’m just not one for parties, bar scenes, or gambling. I’m the old-fashioned, stay-at-home, watch-TV-and-eat-popcorn type of guy. You’ve had popcorn right?”
“Yes, I’ve had popcorn. I’ve even had beer. We’re allowed, you know. Coffee too.”
“Sorry. I keep forgetting that the philosophy is different between fundamentalists and the Mormons. How many sister wives did you have?”
“I was the youngest of six sister wives and the most used. My failure to add children to the household shamed my family.” She averted her eyes from him as her chest tightened with pain. She couldn’t begin to share the extent of her failures.
“I was led to understand that sister wives tend to be jealous if the other women have children. Is this wrong?”
“Jealousy is very common, and my family was no different. There were favorite children and wives, and the others were constantly competing for attention. It can get ugly, so the least loved among us learn to stay out of the way if we can. It’s the only way to protect ourselves.”
“Surely the women protect the kids.”
“Not if they aren’t among the esteemed. My mother allowed the others to beat me to save herself. I had one half-brother who used to come to my defense, but he ran away when he was thirteen after Father severely punished him for cheating on a test. A pack of coyotes got hold of him right outside of the compound.” Liberty lowered her eyes as her chest tightened. She often wondered if the beating her brother had received had been what killed him, but she had never dared to ask. The boy’s mother had blamed her father for her son’s loss, was beaten for disrespect and eventually suffered a mental breakdown.
“I’m sure that discouraged anyone from running away. I can’t imagine what life is like in that place. What provoked you to make the decision to leave?”
“You see how my face looks, and this isn’t the worst that I’ve been through. I left because my husband threatened that he would punish me as unto the Lord because I failed by not producing God-worthy children.”
“How would that be your fault? Besides the fact that he starved, overworked, and abused you, I thought that married couples were forbidden to have sex in the United Order. Aren’t women handed over to seed-bearers to be impregnated?”
“That is true in most of the compounds run by the Jeffs, but ours was not large enough to warrant seed-bearers to travel. At least, that is what we were told. I suspect the truth was that the husbands wanted access to our bodies for themselves.”
“Damn. Sorry,” he said quickly as she flinched. “So what does it mean when you say your husband threatened to punish you as unto the Lord?”
“There is a belief among some of the followers that blood atonement is still required to pay for the sins of the people. It takes on various degrees from the cutting of the skin to life sacrifice.” Her voice lacked emotion as though all feeling had drained from her body.
“Like in murder?” Justice sounded shocked.
“It isn’t considered murder when one gives up her life for the betterment of the community,” she said flatly. “My husband sanctified the house by sacrificing his first wife when she was unable to gift him with children any longer. After one of his wives’ had escaped with her children, another wife was sacrificed as an example to those who might consider leaving in the future. Three others also met with unfortunate accidents, but we never knew the reason. I was to be next since I failed to honor the commitment of marriage.”
“Didn’t anyone report this to the police?”
“The police are paid by the leaders of the compound. We have no protection from anyone in our community. Their job is to keep us in and Outsiders away.”
“You have my sworn promise that things don’t work that way here. I’m not going to let anyone hurt you ever again, hear me?”
Liberty nodded doubtfully. She was relieved when Jerrod entered the room carrying two sandwiches and a glass of cold milk. “These belong to her so keep your fingers off her plate,” he said, smacking his brother’s hand.
“She can’t possibly eat both of them.”
“If she doesn’t want them, then they’re yours.” Jerrod scowled. He pushed the plate closer to Liberty. “Go on and give it a try. Tell me what you think.”
Tentatively, she bit into the gooey mess. It was heaven!
“Slow down! You’re going to get a bellyache,” he laughed as she consumed the first fluffernutter and then eyed the uneaten delight still sitting on the plate. “She wants the other sandwich. J-boy. Sorry.”
With a sigh, Justice nodded and pushed the plate towards the grinning red-head. “At least she has a good appetite. Just so you know, little girl, I don’t easily part with a fluffernutter.”
“Thanks,” Liberty said, suddenly releasing a loud belch. She reddened and covered her mouth. “Oh my, excuse me.”
The older brother laughed. “Welcome to the family. I’m going to make you a nice hot bath and find you a change of clothes. After I fix up your feet, you’re going straight to bed. Understand?”
“But it’s the middle of the day. I can help around here.”
“You can’t even hold yourself up right now. No arguing.”
Liberty looked pleadingly at Justice and wrinkled her nose when he shrugged.
“You heard the old fart. He’s the boss, and we do what he says.” He leaned towards her and whispered into her ear. “Placate him and do what he orders until he’s not looking. If you just agree with him, he will eventually get off your back.”
Biting back a giggle, she nodded. “Yes, sir and thank you. For everything.”
“Believe me, it’s our pleasure. Now, let’s get you comfortable,” Jerrod announced. He then pointed at his brother. “I also heard every word you said to her. Don’t put any ideas into her head, mister. Hear me?”
“Spoil sport.”
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