Staying the Course

He put both hands down on the planks and with some effort staggered to his feet. For being only twenty-five years old, he had several fresh aches and panes. The hanky stayed stuck to his face, the bleeding had stopped. A few snaps and twinges told him about other places of his body hurt, but fortunately nothing appeared broken. Still only a few feet from the door, he pulled in a deep breath and wished the headache would go away. He was glad the lightheadedness and blurred vision only lasted a few minutes. He was sure he didn’t have a concussion, his head hadn’t hit anything, just bounced like a whip-lash.

“What should I do? It’ll be so late if I walk to Auntie’s she’ll be in bed with the door clocked. Besides, without a coat I’ll be frozen long before I get there.” Film covered his eyes. “I locked my car! I can’t even sit in it to get warm.”

However, before he moved he heard lighter steps running to the door and crunching through the shards of the broken mirror. Oh, no! What now! Was his dad coming to see if he was still there? As he listened longer, he realized it couldn’t be his dad, the steps were too light and moving too fast for that. His dad never moved that fast any more. It wasn’t his mom either.

The dead bolt snapped, the door opened a crack and a head appeared. Leslie, his sixteen year old sister whispered, “Joel, oh, wow! You’ve been bleeding! Are you okay? It was the mirror, wasn’t it?” They both heard their dad’s recliner squeak, so she held out her hands and said, “I grabbed your Bible and your phone from upstairs and here are your car keys. I’m sorry that’s all I could grab, but at least you can get to Auntie’s.”

Joel held out both hands, not so much to take the things his sister held, but to hung her. He was so relieved to get his keys. He did put his hands on her shoulders and said, “Thanks, Sis, thanks so much. I love you.” Then he quickly took the things from Leslie. They both heard another heavy thump from the living room.

Leslie pulled her hands back and took hold of the door, but she whispered, “I love you, too, Bro. Take care of yourself. Maybe we can see each other at Auntie’s. If I live that long!” They both heard their dad’s recliner thump. He’d brought it to a sitting position and stomped his feet on the living room floor, he was never a quiet person. Anyone could tell exactly where he was.

Realizing as he looked at the few things in his hands and of course remembering what was still upstairs, Joel blurted out, “Sis, how can I stay in school?”

“You will, God will supply, I know it. Stay the course, as Grampa says.” Leslie pulled in a breath. They both heard their dad’s heavy foot on the hardwood floor beside the living room rug and knew he would soon be in the hallway. “Gotta go! See you!”

“Yes, see you, Sis. God keep you safe!”

The door went shut nearly in his face, but the deadbolt didn’t snap. He was sure his dad was in the hall by now, he groaned, what would he do to Leslie? He couldn’t help her. “Oh, my Father, keep my little sister safe!” he agonized. “That man could hurt her so badly! God, put Your hedge around her – please!”

Now that he had his keys and couldn’t intervene in what happened on the other side of the door, Joel turned and stepped off the porch onto the step. As his right foot hit the ground from the step, his knee buckled and his back spasmed, but he didn’t go down. He gritted his teeth and groaned a bit. Now that he’d jolted his body there were a few other pains he noticed, especially his legs where they’d hit the door frame and his arm where his dad had grabbed him, but he determined to ignore those places. Life went on, he’d hurt worse before, even from his dad’s hand or his belt and he’d survived, so this was nothing new. Life at Thad Lawson’s house could be a very traumatic experience for his children.

Farther away from the protection of the house the wind coming across the open field was even stronger and colder, sending convulsive shivers through his body. He clutched his Bible to his chest and wrapped his other arm around himself. It couldn’t have happened, but he wished Leslie could have grabbed his winter coat from the closet. It wasn’t that old, he’d bought it last year, but it would have taken too long to open the close door.

He couldn’t run, he hurt too badly, but he hurried to his car. His mom’s car blocked some of the wind, so he pushed his phone into the carrier and wished Leslie had grabbed the charger when she’d gotten his Bible. The phone wasn’t much good if it was dead and he’d had it on all day, using some notes to work on his dissertation. He could go to the phone store and buy another charger, but that would be money spent he could better spend on something else.

Friday had been payday, but he always put a few dollars in his checking account and he breathed another sigh, his was the only name on the account. He was sure his dad wasn’t above trying to take over his bank account if he could. Thank goodness his dad was notorious in town he couldn’t impersonate Joel – ever. No one had ever said the phrase ‘like father, like son’. With his dad’s statement and actions, he was truly on his own. There would be no bed or meals at this address for him ever again. His mom would not intervene, she never had in the past, she wouldn’t change, not with the expression he’d seen on her face at the table. It hurt him to think that might be the last view of her face he’d ever have.