threw her palm over her mouth.
“Oh, Satan’s minions !” Momma slumped into a nearby chair as the officer withdrew handcuffs. “He said....” she dropped her hands in her face and anything else she might’ve said was smothered behind her palms.
“That’s ridiculous! I haven’t raped anyone. I’m a preacher , I wouldn’t do such a horrible thing.”
“You have the right to remain silent....”
“You both know me. You know I wouldn’t do this. I have an underage daughter…I know how precious chastity is. I would—”
“Bruce,” Momma interrupted quietly, a glint in her blue eyes and her shoulders rigid. “I think you should shut up. I’ll call, Micah Dominus.” Madison’s gaze zip-lined to her mother. Micah had told her none of his clients were innocent. Momma went on as if she didn’t notice Madison’s reaction. “He will resolve this obvious slur against your good name.”
“You don’t need those handcuffs. I’m not exactly resisting arrest.” Daddy’s hands shook.
“I’m sorry, sir, it’s protocol.” Officer Sims didn’t look sorry.
Deacon Maxwell smoothed a finger around the inside his stiff shirt’s collar. Too tight or feeling guilty?
The Deacon snapped a metal cuff on a wrist and Daddy blanched as he was turned. The second manacle clicked into place, binding his hands together behind his back.
“I’ll have you out of jail in no time, sweetheart.” Momma rose to her feet regally, her hands clasped together in prayer-like fashion between her breasts. “And I’ll see that justice is served on all guilty parties.”
“Are you threatening us, Mrs. Wescott?” Officer Sims got in her face.
Madison held her breath, unsure of what would happen if both her parents went to jail.
Momma laughed and sent Sims a sassy stare. “Don’t be silly, I never make threats. They’re beneath me.”
Something in her gaze said she didn’t have to make threats when she could back up a promise.
The officer nodded, seemingly satisfied with her response. “It’ll take a couple of hours to process him. Your lawyer will know what to do.”
They walked Daddy out in cuffs and a handful of neighbors gawked, the cruiser’s red and blue lights the most likely culprit in bringing the rubberneckers out of their early morning beds.
Momma turned and slammed the door. “Bastard!” Madison’s eyes widened at the curse. Momma never cursed. “This will be all over town in an hour.”
With no idea of what to say she held her tongue.
Momma raked her gaze over her. “Your father is innocent.”
“I know.” Strangely she didn’t care either way. That couldn’t be a good sign. A good girl would definitely care.
“Did you get an earful of our conversation in the kitchen?”
Madison shook her head and swallowed hard. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Jesus, you suck at lying. Damn shame.”
That was something Momma definitely knew a lot about, and should consider herself an expert on.
“No worry, Madison. If you think the kids will bother you at school skip today. No point in us all suffering.”
The other kids would need to acknowledge her first. “I’ll be fine. I’m going to go get breakfast before I leave.”
“Madison?”
At the kitchen door she turned at the sound of her name.
“I won’t apologize for what you saw the other day. Deal with it.” Momma huffed and went on. “I wouldn’t expect you to understand a woman’s needs yet. When you’re married you’ll understand why I did the things I have.”
God, she hoped to never understand. She’d do whatever necessary to never become like Momma.
Life Lesson Twenty-Two
Celeste barged unannounced into Micah’s office. The door slammed against the wall and shimmied. He’d expected her an hour ago.
His assistant, Nicole, made an attempt to peek over Celeste’s shoulder, but she got rewarded with a body slam against the door. Volatile women displeased him and her capricious behavior… is
“Oh, Satan’s minions !” Momma slumped into a nearby chair as the officer withdrew handcuffs. “He said....” she dropped her hands in her face and anything else she might’ve said was smothered behind her palms.
“That’s ridiculous! I haven’t raped anyone. I’m a preacher , I wouldn’t do such a horrible thing.”
“You have the right to remain silent....”
“You both know me. You know I wouldn’t do this. I have an underage daughter…I know how precious chastity is. I would—”
“Bruce,” Momma interrupted quietly, a glint in her blue eyes and her shoulders rigid. “I think you should shut up. I’ll call, Micah Dominus.” Madison’s gaze zip-lined to her mother. Micah had told her none of his clients were innocent. Momma went on as if she didn’t notice Madison’s reaction. “He will resolve this obvious slur against your good name.”
“You don’t need those handcuffs. I’m not exactly resisting arrest.” Daddy’s hands shook.
“I’m sorry, sir, it’s protocol.” Officer Sims didn’t look sorry.
Deacon Maxwell smoothed a finger around the inside his stiff shirt’s collar. Too tight or feeling guilty?
The Deacon snapped a metal cuff on a wrist and Daddy blanched as he was turned. The second manacle clicked into place, binding his hands together behind his back.
“I’ll have you out of jail in no time, sweetheart.” Momma rose to her feet regally, her hands clasped together in prayer-like fashion between her breasts. “And I’ll see that justice is served on all guilty parties.”
“Are you threatening us, Mrs. Wescott?” Officer Sims got in her face.
Madison held her breath, unsure of what would happen if both her parents went to jail.
Momma laughed and sent Sims a sassy stare. “Don’t be silly, I never make threats. They’re beneath me.”
Something in her gaze said she didn’t have to make threats when she could back up a promise.
The officer nodded, seemingly satisfied with her response. “It’ll take a couple of hours to process him. Your lawyer will know what to do.”
They walked Daddy out in cuffs and a handful of neighbors gawked, the cruiser’s red and blue lights the most likely culprit in bringing the rubberneckers out of their early morning beds.
Momma turned and slammed the door. “Bastard!” Madison’s eyes widened at the curse. Momma never cursed. “This will be all over town in an hour.”
With no idea of what to say she held her tongue.
Momma raked her gaze over her. “Your father is innocent.”
“I know.” Strangely she didn’t care either way. That couldn’t be a good sign. A good girl would definitely care.
“Did you get an earful of our conversation in the kitchen?”
Madison shook her head and swallowed hard. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Jesus, you suck at lying. Damn shame.”
That was something Momma definitely knew a lot about, and should consider herself an expert on.
“No worry, Madison. If you think the kids will bother you at school skip today. No point in us all suffering.”
The other kids would need to acknowledge her first. “I’ll be fine. I’m going to go get breakfast before I leave.”
“Madison?”
At the kitchen door she turned at the sound of her name.
“I won’t apologize for what you saw the other day. Deal with it.” Momma huffed and went on. “I wouldn’t expect you to understand a woman’s needs yet. When you’re married you’ll understand why I did the things I have.”
God, she hoped to never understand. She’d do whatever necessary to never become like Momma.
Life Lesson Twenty-Two
Celeste barged unannounced into Micah’s office. The door slammed against the wall and shimmied. He’d expected her an hour ago.
His assistant, Nicole, made an attempt to peek over Celeste’s shoulder, but she got rewarded with a body slam against the door. Volatile women displeased him and her capricious behavior… is
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