Chapter 7

The Reverend Hezekiah D. Thorn fidgeted with the worn Bible as he looked across his old wooden desk at Franklin and Lavonia Clark. Did these people learn Edwina had left town with their baby, or at least their soon to be baby? He’d told Callie not to mention Edwina’s absence and he knew she hadn’t. Callie was always obedient. She knew the consequences of disobeying him. Of course, he hadn’t mentioned it to anyone either. He pursed his lips and asked in a strained voice, “I know you’re looking forward to becoming parents of that little boy.”

“Oh you don’t know how much, preacher,” Franklin said. “I think I’m looking forward to being a father as much as my wife is to being a mother. We need that boy.”

“Franklin is correct, Reverend Thorn. Since we were in this section of town today, he insisted on coming by to visit with the baby and see how well he’s doing and if he’s off the bottle and diapers.”

“I thought there might be a chance we could have him a little early if she has him ready to go with us. After all, he’s almost to the eighteen-month age we agreed on.”

“That’s true, but I’m not sure his training is complete.” How could he avoid telling them, his disobedient niece had left with the child, though she knew he didn’t belong to her? How could she not have understood when he explained how God had used her body to make a baby for these worthy people?

“I understand that, but maybe your niece has him trained to the point my wife could take over.”

“I didn’t think I could go through the infant stage.” Lavonia put her hand on her husband’s arm. “But I’m sure I can handle him now. We could even take him today and bring him to church on Sunday. Then you could bless him as our child.”

“That would be a good idea, but...”

Where’s Callie with that coffee? Why can’t she interrupt when I need her to instead of when I’m trying to write a sermon or want quiet time to sit for my revelations from God?

“But, what?” Franklin stared at him. “You haven’t changed your mind about letting us have the baby, have you?”

“It would break my heart not to get the baby.” Lavonia dabbed her eyes. “I know your niece has been calling him Adam, but I don’t want to use a name she chose. I’m going to name him Moses.”

“My wife feels the baby will be able to lead us into happiness the way Moses led the people out of bondage.”

“I think Moses is a good strong name. The boy looks like he’ll grow up to be a big man.”

There was a tap on the door and Callie came in with a wooden tray. It had four cups of steaming coffee, milk, sugar and some dry-looking cake. “I wanted to bring a little refreshment to our good Christian friends.”

“That’s very nice of you, Mrs. Thorn. You’re a model wife. I’m always telling Lavonia she should strive to be just like you.”

“Yes, he is,” Lavonia said. “The cake looks delicious.”

Callie served the cake and coffee, then took a seat near the Clarks. “I was delighted to see you when I opened the door. It’s always a delight when someone from the flock visits.”

“I’m glad we came. We wanted to—”

Callie cut him off. “I wish Edwina and the baby were here. I’m sure you’d like to see how much he’s grown and what a good boy he’s becoming. With a little more training, I’m sure you’ll have the child of your dreams.”

“Oh.” Franklin looked disappointed. “Then your niece and the baby are out?”

“We so hoped to see Moses.”

“Moses?”

“Yes, wife. The Clarks have decided to name the child Moses. I think that’s a wonderful name, don’t you?”

“Of course.” She frowned a little. “Now that we know his name, we will begin to call him Moses so he will answer to the name.”

“That’s a wonderful idea, Mrs. Thorn.” Lavonia sipped her coffee and sat the cup aside.

Franklin finished his cake in a couple of bites, drained his coffee and stood. “Since Moses isn’t here, I suppose we should head for home. It’s a good ways out in the country, you know.”

Lavonia stood, too. “Tell your niece we’re looking forward to having the baby. I know Franklin plans to make a farmer out of him and I want to teach him his lessons.”

“I know you’ll teach him well,” Hezekiah said. “Follow the rules for raising children and you can’t miss being good parents.”

“I have embroidered a sampler to hang over our kitchen table to always remind him of his parents’ desire to make a godly man out of him.”

“What’s on the sampler, Lavonia?” Callie asked.

“Spare the rod and spoil the child.”

Hezekiah nodded. “If more parents lived by that rule there wouldn’t be so much rebellion in our young people. I hope you plan to start the discipline early.”

“We certainly will, sir.”

“I’m sure you’ll be wonderful parents,” Callie said, standing.

Hezekiah also stood. “I have to admit, I’ve never seen Edwina spank the boy, even when he needed it, have you, Mrs. Thorn?”

She shook her head.

“We’ll take care of that, won’t we, Franklin?”

“Absolutely.” He reached across the desk and shook hands with Hezekiah. “We’ll see you on Sunday, Preacher.”

“That’s wonderful. I had a revelation this week and I want to share it with the congregation.”

Lavonia smiled. “That’s exciting. Your revelations are always such a blessing to people like us. Goodbye, Mrs. Thorn.”

“I’ll look forward to it, too.” Franklin nodded to the preacher’s wife and followed his wife to the front door.

As soon as the door closed behind them, Callie turned to her husband. “I’m surprised they showed up today.”

“So was I. They wanted to see the baby.”

“Oh, mercy. Did you tell them we didn’t know where Edwina and the baby are?”

“No. Do you think I’d be that stupid, wife?” He stared at her.

“Of course not, Hezekiah. I shouldn’t have said that to you.”

“You’re right, you shouldn’t have. Keep to your place, Callie. You know better than to question me.”

“Yes, my dear. I’m sorry.” She looked as if she wanted to say something else, but she didn’t.

“You should be sorry.” He turned back to his office. “Come get this mess of coffee off my desk. I need to figure out what I can do about finding Edwina and the Clark’s child.”

Callie scurried around, putting the cups and plates back on the tray. “I’m sure you’ll succeed, Mr. Thorn.”

“You’re right about that.” He sat. “I also know when I get my hands on that willful girl, she’ll never try anything like this again. She’s not too old for me to use the rod and God knows, that’s exactly what I plan to do.”

* * * *

Lavonia sat straight-backed on the wagon seat and looked ahead. She knew what Franklin was thinking and she didn’t dare interrupt him. She’d felt the back of his hand on her mouth for speaking when she shouldn’t before and she didn’t want to feel it today.

Life had been hard for Lavonia in the five years she’d been married to Franklin Clark. At first it hadn’t been so bad, though she hardly knew the man when her father made arrangements for her to marry him. When she asked her father why he wanted her to marry a man twenty-five years older than her, he’d said, “You know I’ve had a hard time since your mama up and died and left me with six children. Three of the boys are now big enough to help on the farm and Stella can watch the little one as good as you can.”

“But, Paw, I ain’t quite fifteen,” Lavonia said.

“Franklin Clark says you’re just at the right age to give him some sons to make up for the two that was killed. He knows I need money to put in some crops so he agreed to give me fifty dollars and a mule for you.”

“But you need me here.”

“Like I said, Stella can take your place working in the house. She’s almost fourteen, so it’s time she took on a woman’s work. Now let’s not hear any more about it. Mr. Clark will be here in the morning to pick you up.”

Franklin Clark did pick her up. He took her by the self-proclaimed preacher, Hezekiah D. Thorn, and he married them with spilled coffee on his shirt. They reached the Clark farm in time for Lavonia to start cooking dinner and Franklin went out to work the fields. She didn’t care at the time, because she was dreading what he was going to do to her that night.

And she’d had a reason to worry about it. There wasn’t a gentle bone in Franklin Clark’s body. That first terrible night in the marriage bed was only the beginning of many horrible nights to come. Franklin was determined to get her pregnant, but no matter how he treated her, no baby formed. At first, she was glad, but she soon learned that if she could have a child, he’d not demand his right to her as often.

Then the Reverend had a revelation and told them God had used his niece to bear them a child. “Lavonia is just like the Biblical Sarah,” he explained. “Sarah was barren and couldn’t give Abraham a child so her handmaid, Hagar, provided a child for them. Edwina is your Hagar. God worked the whole thing out. Edwina’s husband was a black-hearted sinner. He deserted her and now she is with child. The child God wants you to have.”

But the Reverend said God told him they could take possession of the child when it was eighteen months old. She didn’t know why he did this unless it was because Franklin was complaining that Lavonia wouldn’t be able to work the fields with a baby in the house. She didn’t understand this, because all he talked about was making her pregnant—yet she didn’t argue. It would’ve done no good anyway. She learned early in the marriage not to argue with Franklin. Once he twisted her arm until she thought it would fall off and the next time he dragged her to the barn and whipped her with the buggy whip. She didn’t argue with him after that.

She was looking forward to having the baby in the house to love, though she figured the child would have a hard life. Franklin would never be a loving father. Maybe she could make up for it by loving the child with all her heart.