TURNING POINT

PROLOGUE

A number of young Christian summer workers come to Guatemala each year to help Señor Barry build buildings, which would be used for school and church services. This year he had six young men and five young ladies. David, his friend and helper came with his fiancée, Caroline. They planned to marry at the end of the summer and to come back to work in Guatemala later. The other five men were an assortment ranging from, red haired Chuck who was training to be a doctor, to Eric who was dark-skinned and kept to himself. Of the five girls, there was Caroline, who became the leader of the women, to Julie Ann who requested to come at the last minute.

Senor Barry shook his head in dismay. He wondered why he let Julie Ann come. She was a good worker but was also a distraction with whom he’d fallen in love, along with most of the other young men.

He thought that with his father’s help, he’d set up a good screening system so no one who might cause problems could come, but Julie Ann came, and she brought trouble. She didn’t mean to bring trouble, but he fell in love and that was trouble enough because he wanted to hold her hand, or hold her in his arms.

He made the rule, himself, that there would be no interaction between the sexes but he didn’t realize that when he fell in love this rule affected him.

Senor Barry’s heart flipped when he first met her. His heart flopped and broke when he discovered that she wasn’t a Christian. He blamed God for the situation, but God knew what would happen. In the end, she accepted Christ as her Savior.

Julie Ann and Marybeth, a very ill co-worker, went to a hospital in Houston, Senor Barry was surprised how lost and lonely he felt. He knew he loved Julie but he didn’t know if she felt the same. He wished he could have told her of his love, but now, he felt it was too late for wishing. She was far away.

Señor Barry is a short man, hardly reached five foot seven inches. His hair is dark as are his eyes, and during the summers he let his beard grow. It become black and bushy until Julie Ann suggested he trim it, which he did, and he admitted that he not only looked better, but felt better. Because of his energy and dynamic personality, one soon forgot his short stature and any short comings he might have.

He is the missionary, the one who started this work in Guatemala. He loves the type of work he carved out for himself. Previously, he worked at a preacher training school in Mexico . The school trained the young men, sent them out to start church groups and to build buildings. He found the summer workers could usually build two or three buildings during a summer and the young preachers could use their time to develop the church, without the burden of working on a church building. He spent a lot of time teaching preachers and parishioners alike and he loves the varied activities this entails.

CHAPTER ONE

Señor Barry arrived back at the village where his summer workers stayed. He had just taken Marybeth and Julie Ann to the local hospital and subsequently sent them on to the States by Air. He took Marybeth’s mattress out and burned it, as the doctor suggested. The mattress was a large bag made of mattress ticking and stuffed with dried grass. By the end of the summer, the mattress was flat and hard. The dry grass would normally be burned and the mattress ticking washed ready for the new bunch of workers the next summer.

Señor Barry sat and watched the mattress, ticking and grass burn, praying all the while for the two girls. He was told that Marybeth was sick with some contagious, tropical disease and that she might not live. He didn’t want for Marybeth to die although he was sure she would. He was more concerned over losing Julie Ann.

A misty rain that came most mornings and brought the insects down from the trees, started, but he continued to sit and plead with God. This camp was in the rain forest, so a rain could be expected most days. Unless it was a hard rain, it filtered down as a misty rain through the canopy at the top.

“If Julie Ann dies, Lord?” Senor Barry stopped his words. Julie Ann couldn’t, wouldn’t die. He must keep his faith and courage up, so he sat and prayed.

He looked at his watch and found that it was time to ring the gong that would wake his workers up. He was soaked to the skin by the rain, and his face and hands were covered with insect bites. He, foolishly, didn’t bother to change or medicate the bites.

The girls knew something was terribly wrong immediately they awoke. Both Marybeth and Julie were missing, and Marybeth’s mattress was gone. When they gathered for devotions, the girls thought their worst fears were confirmed. Señor Barry’s face was gray, haggard, and drawn. His clothes were wet and his face and hands were swollen from insect bites. They were sure Marybeth had died during the night. All of the girls knew that Marybeth was feeling ill although some thought she was faking it,
Abigail was openly crying.

Abigail was Marybeth’s closest friend and the two together ganged against Julie Ann, yet Abigail was glad to see that Julie Ann was taking care of Marybeth, leaving her free to go to the festival in the village with the other girls. Julie Ann was a little peeved that no one asked her if she wanted to stay with Marybeth. She would have liked to go to the festival also. Last time, she held Señor Barry’s hand for a short time. She would like to do that again.

Señor Barry was silent until everyone gathered. “Both girls have been taken by air to the States,” he told the group of six young men and three young women. “Marybeth’s condition is very grave,” he continued.

A number of audible sympathetic sounds were heard above Abigail’s weeping.
“The doctor thought Marybeth has one of the contagious tropical diseases that are common here and said that all of you should go home before you come down with it,” he then paused before continuing. “If any of you want to leave, I’ll take you to the airport, but it’s my belief that God can, and will, protect us.”

After a time of discussion concerning the symptoms and causes of the different diseases, the group decided to stay with the exception of Abigail. She wanted to be with her friend, but when told that her friend was in isolation and she wouldn’t even be able to see her, much less to visit with her, she decided to stay with the summer workers. Señor Barry thanked her but wondered if he’d be able to get much work from her. It was Julie Ann who proved to be the worker, setting the pace that few of the girls could follow.

Señor Barry picked up his Bible. “We’ll spend our devotional time in God’s word and in prayer for the two girls,” he said. As they prayed, peace descended on him, a peace he’d not felt in a long time. God was in control and all problems could be left in His capable hands.

Señor Barry drove into town every day to phone the hospital in Houston for a report on the two girls. When, at last, he reported that Marybeth was getting better, everyone’s spirits improved.

“You keep reporting about Marybeth. What about the other girl?” redheaded Chuck asked.

“Julie Ann?” Señor Barry looked at the eager up-turned faces wanting to hear about the girl they loved. He remembered that David told him once that they all loved Julie Ann. David was engaged to Caroline and Senor Barry was sure that Jack was falling for Abigail so there were just the four plus himself who loved her. As far as he was concerned, the four didn’t count. He loved Julie Ann and he hoped the feelings were reciprocated, but he didn’t know.

“She’s fine. She didn’t get the disease, but as she was placed in the isolation ward, she must stay two weeks so she won’t be back before you leave.”

He was thankful that he’d not have to share her with the others, yet he missed her presence. He missed her laughter and her smile. All joy seemed to have flown with Julie Ann gone.

Abigail needed counseling which Señor Barry gladly gave. She was loaded with guilt and remorse for not taking better care of her friend.

“Don’t keep blaming yourself,” Señor Barry told her. “You didn’t do anything that brought on this illness.”

“I should’ve known she was ill and told you before it got so bad.” Her tears started to flow again.

“I know. I keep berating myself for not seeing the signs of her illness sooner. Even when Julie Ann told me that she was running a high fever, I thought she was suffering from a migraine. We let other things distract us, but Marybeth is a grown woman. She could have, and should have, told one of us how ill she was. She had to know before we could see it.”

Señor Barry knew why Abigail was distracted. She and Jack were falling in love but he wasn't going to put the blame on Julie Ann. He knew he was at fault.

On closing day, he took his crew to the airport, and then returned to the village. The new preacher was already there with his wife and children, getting settled into the recently vacated girls’ dorm.

Mari was moving her family into the boys’ dorm. It was too soon to start calling the houses something different. Later, he would know them as Mari’s house and the Preacher’s house.

Señor Barry looked the village over and wondered why he selected this village for his summer workers. There was no electricity or running water. The water in the stream was infested with water leaches. He shivered, and wondered how he could have brought Julie Ann to such a place, but of course he didn’t know her then, or that she would be in this group.

He knew why he chose this village. God directed him to it and it was the right place. God wanted him here as all the villagers accepted Christ as Lord and Savior. Most, if not all, of the villagers claimed that Julie Anne’s influence caused them to find the Savior.

He smiled when he remembered Julie Ann’s explanation before she became a Christian on knowing Jesus as Lord. The very last question she was given asked if she knew Jesus as Lord. She remembered a song from her childhood that said ‘the little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head.’ She then marked the square that said she knew Jesus as Lord, not realizing that only Christians recognized Jesus as Lord of their lives.
The village was like many in the rain forest. The houses were on stilts, about five feet from the ground. The walls were made of webbing that for the most part went only three feet up. He prepared camp cots and mosquito netting for his crew but the people of the villages didn’t use either. The family slept together on a raised platform in one corner of the open room. Farm animals, such as chickens, goats and pigs, often occupied another corner at night.

Señor Barry thought it would take several days before the two families would be able to get into their homes but they were already settled so he felt free to leave for the States. He was planning on a Sabbatical year and was turning the work over to David and Caroline. He was sure that when Julie Ann was out of the hospital that they would marry. He felt his future was planned and he was pleased and happy with himself.

The one thing he wanted to do before he left was to arraign with Marie to send her money each month.. Julie Ann discovered that Mari’s daughter, who was only thirteen, would be getting married because Mari was expecting again and couldn’t support the girl. Mari was the cook for the summer workers. She also boiled the water for drinking, kept their clothes washed and the dorms clean.

One either sent their children to the city to work or married them off in the village at an early age. Girls sent into the city often ended up on drugs or prostitution or both, so marriage seemed the better choice. Julie Ann said she wanted to send Mari some money each month so the girl could go to school and not have to get married. He determined to do this until he cleared the matter with Julie Ann.

When Señor Barry phoned the hospital in Houston his spirit was high. He thought he would soon be there and have Julie Ann in his arms. A smile was on his face as he dialed the number. When he was told that Julie Ann was dismissed that morning, he felt a little stab of impatience but he had her home address and phone number so he would go there. He changed his flight to Dallas, thinking he’d rent a car and go to her hometown, a two-hour drive away, but decided to phone instead. The operator came on the line, telling him that the number he dialed was no longer in use. He asked that the number and address be rechecked. He was still told that the number was no longer in use. Disappointed, he headed home to Atlanta.

"TURNING POINT"

ISBN 978-1-4500-8476-5 hard cover
ISBN 978-1-4500-8475-8 soft cover
ISBN 978-1-4500-8477-2 kindle

BABY DOLL

PROLOGUE

Julie is Jedidiah’s young widow. She gave birth to three sons and a daughter before her husband’s death. Her daughter, Grace, has bright red hair, as does the doctor/missionary in Guatemala. Admittedly Doctor Charles has loved Julie for years. Everyone knows of his love but Julie insists the baby is Jedidiah’s.

Julie and Jedidiah adopted Matthew when he was seven, and they were first married.

Matthew loves Julie with a special kind of love. He knows this is wrong. Sometimes, the feelings are mother/son but other times he fights his desire. He is now a grown man with a daughter.

Mercy is Matthew’s daughter. She is dark skinned with black curly hair. Her mother died when Mercy was two so she doesn’t remember her. She is now anxious for her father to marry so she can have a mother. She is nearing puberty.

Denny is a doctor/pilot, and a cousin of Doctor Charles. His plane is faster and bigger than Doctor Jameson’s plane, who has taken Julie several times to the States.
Denny never expected his wife Betty to kill their daughter and herself on the little girl’s sixth birthday, some years earlier. It has taken him a long time to overcome this tragedy. He is known to laugh a lot and is loved by everyone. He claims he will never marry again.

Julie feels that Denny laughs to hide his grief, which he has not been able to
eliminate completely.

CHAPTER ONE

Jedidiah and Jordan were buried beside each other. It was hard for Julie to accept the deaths of her husband and youngest son. She often went out to their graves to weep. She knew before their untimely deaths that they would not be on this earth too many more years because of the disease they both suffered. Yet to die at the hand of that madman, was almost too much to bear. The fact that Jedidiah had given his life to save her did not make his death any easier to accept. She gave up all her church activities, and was only attending Sunday morning services,

Several months passed and Julie was thinking it was time to get back into all her duties at the church. At one time, she not only was a member of the choir, but also was leader of the Women’s Group and taught a class of youngsters. She went to choir-practice expecting to be welcomed with open arms and invited to teach her class again. She hoped to be reinstated as the leader of the women’s group, but this didn’t happen either.

She received a phone call from the preacher later that week. He wanted to visit her. She hurried around, making sure she had some treats to serve and that the house wasn’t looking too untidy.

Mercy was still at school and Grace was down for her morning nap when Preacher Gibbs and his wife Nancy arrived. They seemed nervous when they first arrived so she talked about the house while serving them coffee and her homemade cookies.

The preacher cleared his throat. “I’ll come straight to the point,” he said, not looking at Julie. “The elders feel,” he cleared his throat again before starting anew. “The elders think that it’s too soon for you to be taking any leadership position.”

“That’s kind of them to be thinking of me,” Julie said, not realizing the elders wanted to reprimand not praise her. “But I’m over my grieving. Christians don’t have to grieve long and any grieving we do is purely selfish as we know we will meet again. I’m ready to start my duties again.”

“That’s very commendable but the elders don’t want you doing any work until you can - ah - repent.”

“Repent?” she repeated. She didn’t know this preacher very well as he had come to the church about a year ago when the old preacher had a stroke and could no longer
fulfill his duties. “What am I to repent from?”

“Promiscuity.” Nancy spoke up, her lips curling in disdain.

“Are you talking about the men from the church who have been asking me out?” Julie asked. She was confused and shocked that they were accusing her of sexual improprieties. “I haven’t gone out with any of them nor have they come to our home.”

“No, we are talking about that red-headed doctor and your daughter.” The preacher looked her in the eyes then, accusing her silently of adultery. “You went to Guatemala and the child was born eight and a half months later. It doesn’t take a mathematician to figure that out.”

Julie stood up, her eyes flashing with anger. “You think that Charles and I - “ she couldn’t finish the sentence but Nancy started talking anyway.

“The whole church saw how he looked at you. How he touched you when he came to the funeral. You can’t deny this.” Nancy was in her element. “If you come to church and repent of this, they will forgive you,” she added, trying to make her voice sound kind. “We are a forgiving church.”

‘No,” Julie exploded. “I will not ask for forgiveness for something I didn’t do. You may leave now.” She was so angry that she could hardly be polite enough to see them to the door. She walked the floor, after they left, back and forth auguring with herself. How could they think that? It’s not true. How could they? Oh, Jedidiah. I wish I could talk to you. How can I ever go back to that church to face all those people, people I loved and thought were my friends?

She walked into Jedidiah’s study, which hadn’t been changed since his death. In this room, she had argued with Jedidiah, or discussed problems, and here she felt she would find peace. She idly looked through a stack of papers on his desk. One caught her attention. She read it over twice not believing what she saw. Jedidiah did a test to find out if Grace was his child. He had doubted her yet he had given no indication that he did. She remembered that he said he loved her and was afraid of losing her. Was he so afraid of losing her that he was willing to pretend he was the father? But he was, Julie’s thoughts screamed, he had to be.

Julie knew Jedidiah was Graces’ father. He was the only one she ever sexually slept with, but that Jedidiah doubted broke her heart. She didn’t understand the results; it was enough to know that Jedidiah doubted. She put her hands to her face. Oh, Jedidiah, you thought I was unfaithful and now I hope you know the truth. But if you doubted, then the church people have a right to do so also. I guess I should forgive them. Her mind was in torment. She didn’t want to forgive. She wanted to be angry. She needed to talk to someone.

Julie considered going to her father-in law. His wisdom was almost as good as Jedidiah’s was,. She decided not to unburden her soul to a family member, and of course, she couldn’t go to the preacher or any church member. She bowed her head in prayer, seeking advice, but Grace was waking up from her nap and wanting her. She went to Grace, doing the necessary things for her all the while making plans. She phoned the preacher of a little church in the country, hoping he could counsel her and he was available. She hurried to fix a lunch for Grace, which she put in a Styrofoam container to take with them and put the child in the car.

Anger was still foaming within her veins, which made her drive faster than she should and just before she arrived at the church building, she heard the cop’s siren and pulled over.

“Do you know how fast you were going?” he asked.

“No, officer, I’m sorry.”

Sorry is not enough,” he told her. “You were doing eighty in a thirty zone.”

“Really? That fast?” She handed the officer her driver’s license and insurance card. She knew it was useless to try to talk herself out of this one. “Is that the First Church up there?” She asked as he handed the papers back to her, including the speeding ticket. She could see the corner of a building that looked like a church up ahead.

“Yes,” he said, “Pastor Adams is there.”

“That’s where I’m headed,” she told the officer, “to talk to the preacher.”

“I’m sorry, I can’t reduce your speeding ticket, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“No,” Julie laughed for the first time. “I want to thank you for stopping me. I was so angry, I would have gone right through this place not even seeing the church building.”

He watched as she pulled onto the road and made her way to the church’s parking area.
He tooted a quick farewell as he made a U-turn and chased another car going too fast through the small community of eight houses and a church building.

“BABY DOLL“

ISBN 978-1-4535-4587-8 hard cover
ISBN 978-1-4535-4546-1 soft cover
ISBN 978-1-4535-4549-5 kindle

SPIDER WEB

PROLOGUE

Matthew is the doctor at the mission hospital. Dr, Charles is a few years older then he is and is the boss. Dr. Charles started this hospital on the edge of the rain forest and is very proud of his accomplishments.

Mercy is Matthew’s child who is beginning to grow up to adulthood. She is the Queen of the Mercy Tribe.

Julie is the widow of Jedidiah and adoptive mother of Matthew. She believes that Grace is her daughter. The little girl is about four at this time, but she goes to the new parents at the courthouse.

Julie marries Dr. Denny but did not hear her new name. when she finds out she is not happy with it as it is Scotzovicka.

Mercy is the main character in this story.

CHAPTER ONE

Mercy looked up at her Dad as they walked back to their house. “Will Granny be okay?” She had witnessed Julie’s convulsion as the entire group of guests at the wedding had. After the first horror passed, she became frightened for her grandmother. Even the tossing of the bouquet with all the excitement that goes with it could not dispel her fear.

“Did you catch the bouquet?” Matthew asked, avoiding her question. Mercy was fidgeting with a bouquet of flowers he was sure was the one that Julie had carried.
Mercy looked down at the flowers surprised that they hadn’t been mangled in her agitated state. “Rhoda caught them,” she said, “but gave them to me.” She laid them down on a nearby table to keep from destroying them, then picked them up again.

“Let’s go back to the house and you can put the flowers in some water. Don’t you have some homework to do?” Matthew asked, trying to get some time to himself.
“This is Saturday, Dad,” Mercy sounded indignant. “I never have homework on the weekend. Besides, I’m not a baby to be told everything.” She waved the flowers at him.

“Go find something to do.” He shooed her away.
Recognizing that her father was wanting to be alone, she slowly climbed the stairs and went to her room, wandering around it at loose ends. She changed into her pajamas. Although it was winter, Guatemala never really had winter so light cotton PJ’s were the usual night wear. She tried to read a book but couldn’t keep her mind on it so went looking for her dad finally finding him on his knees in Julie’s room. She watched him for a moment before creeping back to her own room.

“It must be bad for Granny,” she said the words out loud, “if Daddy’s on his knees.” She wasn’t to know that it was Matthew’s unnatural love for his mother, although Julie was not his real mother as he was adopted, that had brought him to his knees. He had chosen to go to the room where her perfume still lingered to speak to God about it. After a while he knew he was free and wondered why he hadn’t gone to God before about this problem. He went to his study and wrote a memo to himself. “The Lord is good. He answers prayer.” He knew that he would never forget what God had done for him this day yet he wanted the note where he could see and read it every day. He put it on the mirror over his chest of drawers.

As the days passed, Mercy received no word from her grandmother. She kept pestering her father whether he had heard anything.

“She’s on her honeymoon,” he told her several times. “Quit bothering her with emails She’ll write when she has time.”

“But I feel there’s something wrong.” The girl complained.

“Denny’s a doctor. He’ll take good care of her. You don’t have to worry.” Matthew tried to give some comfort to his daughter but he could see that she was still distressed. “Why don’t you ask Charles if he has heard from Denny?”

Mercy brightened. She had send emails to her uncles but they hadn’t heard from Julie either but said not to worry. Mercy was feeling frustrated that no one was concerned about her beloved Granny. She felt there was every reason to be concerned and couldn’t understand why all the adults seemed unconcerned.

Mercy ran to the hospital but Doctor Charles was doing his rounds. She waited in his office trying to be patient but needed to fidget as teens are want to do. She paced the floor and then went to the doctor’s desk and played with his pens. Rhonda came by and stopped to talk.

“I know what you mean,” Rhonda said, “I often feel the same way when I don’t hear from my mother or sister, thinking that something bad must have happened to Mother. But I’m learning that ‘no news is good news’ so don’t worry so much.”

“Is your mother sick?” Mercy asked, surprised that Rhonda had worries too.

“She is dying with cancer. I don’t know how soon. “ Mercy heard the tears in the older girl’s voice.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know,” she went to Rhonda and put her arms around her.

Rhonda put a tissue to her eyes, and muttering something about getting back to work was out of the room. Charles entered then anyway which was just as well because if he was delayed much longer, Mercy may have been tempted to look at his computer.

What was there was a long letter from his father, telling of Julie’s condition that to the untrained eye would seem worse than it really was.

“Dr. Charles,” Mercy began, “Have you heard from Denny about my granny? I haven’t heard and I’m getting worried.”

“I heard from my father just today about Ju- your – er – grandmother.” Charles told her. “My father is a doctor who specializes in head traumas. He’s put her in hospital –“

“Hospital!” Mercy nearly shouted. “She’s gonna die, isn’t she?” Mercy started to cry.
“No, child. You didn’t hear all I was telling you. Your Granny will get better. She is in hospital now for some tests and has to lie very still. That is why you’re not hearing from her. And Denny has gone back to Mexico to fix some problem there. It may be several weeks before you hear from your granny but don’t worry, I will let you know if there is something more to tell you.”

“Thank you,” she smiled at Charles. Mercy went back to her father, feeling light-hearted and told him what Dr. Charles had said. “Granny’s going to be all right now, isn’t she?” She asked, sure of his answer.

“She has the best of care and with God looking on, she will be just fine.”

Mercy kept that promise with her for the next three or four day before she started to worry again. “I should be hearing from Granny,” she thought, “or at least getting some word about her.” But with school and all the activities that entailed, several more days past before she voiced her concerns. She waited for her dad to come off duty but before she could ask him, he had the answer.

“Charles heard from his dad again,” he told her. “It seems that they had trouble finding Granny’s laptop but she has it now so you should be getting an email anytime now.” Mercy clapped her hands with joy. She ran to her room to check her emails and sure enough some had come in.

The email from Julie was short. She apologized for not having written sooner saying that she had been asleep most of the time, but was getting better and was allowed up for a short while each day. She would be going ‘home’ wherever that is, Julie had said, but they could send her emails no matter where she was, unless, of course, she were someplace without telephone lines. In fact, she wrote, that she might just get herself a satellite computer. She ended her letter there, but Mercy was happy having heard from her. Matthew, on the other hand, was wishing for more information.

Mercy answered the email, telling her granny how worried she had been, but how happy her letter had made her. She hoped to get more information as her granny improved. She wasn’t to know that her granny was suffering from what the doctor said was selective memory failure. When they took the laptop to her, she remembered how to use it and to type but didn’t remember Mercy or Matthew or any of her children.

The elder Doctor Charles spent a lot of time with Julie, trying to get her to remember her past. He had insisted that she write Mercy even though she didn’t remember but to pretend she did. When Mercy answered, Julie was to ask for a picture. “Ask for just one,” he told Julie. “Say that your computer won’t download more than one.” He didn’t want her to become confused with a lot of pictures.

Mercy happily sent her granny a picture of herself. She chose a recent one where she was in her crown and the dress Julie had given her. The girl mentioned that it was time for the tribal council so had to run.

Mercy wore her crown and dress to the council meeting and everyone stood as she entered. Her dad followed her. Sometimes, Mercy thought her dad was too protective of her but other times she appreciated having him close by. She had asked his advice concerning the laws to be made and they had talked late into the night about them before coming to an agreement. She hoped the tribe’s approval wouldn’t take as long.

Matthew called the meeting to order and after a short prayer turned the meeting over to Mercy.

“We talked of making new laws,” she said, “but I think it best if we follow what God has given us and the laws of the country in which we live. So being Christians you will follow God’s laws then you are also members of the Mercy Tribe and must do as they say and finally you are citizens of Guatemala so must follow the laws of this country.”

“If it please the queen, may I ask a question?” Pepee stood up and asked. Mercy gave him permission so he continued. “Where can we get a book so we can learn all these laws? If we don’t know them, we may be doing something bad.”

“The laws of God you learn at your Bible studies and the main ones are the same as for this country. No murder, no stealing, no fighting among ourselves and no adultery. The laws of this country are very many and it takes many books to tell of them but as long as you follow God’s plan of love, you will not break any of the main laws of the country. There are a few laws I can tell you about. One is about driving a car, as one has to get a license and pass a test. Another is about weddings. Only licensed pastors can perform a wedding and-”

Tee jumped up interrupting Mercy, “Am I not married? We didn’t have the preacher say the words but the words were said.”

“I’m sure that in God’s sight you are married but probably not by the laws of the country. You would be wise to talk to the pastor about this. As Christians we should always strive to live within the laws of our country.”

“What are the new laws you are going to give us?” Manilee asked. This time she was careful to have her dress closed when she stood to speak although the baby in her arms was pulling at her clothes wanting to suckle.

“I’ve decided there will be no new laws, except for the one I gave you. That is your queen does not have to marry a man from the tribe.” Mercy told her. “However I have decided the tribe should vote for a Prime Minister. This can be either a man or a woman and will be a helper for me. Every four years you will vote again, either for the same person or someone new. Now, if there are no more questions I will close this meeting. We will meet next month and I want at least three names suggested for Prime Minister at the next meeting.. My dad will teach you about voting when the time comes.

“I almost forgot. I brought you some cookies I made.” Mercy took her crown off. “After the prayer, you may come get them and we can visit as friends.” However, she found that they came for the cookies but none wanted to stay and visit as she had expected. Turning to her dad, she asked if the people were angry with her.

“Angry is too strong a word,” he answered. “They are more likely to be overwhelmed with the thought of voting.”

She hoped it were true. She hadn’t wanted to have a Prime Minister but Matthew had insisted it would be a good plan to have one. She hoped that he was right and wondered now if she should have mentioned it. But it was too late. She had told them to have names for her the next month and they would go forward with choosing a Prime Minister. She wondered who would be chosen and hoped it wouldn’t be Manilee.

Although Mercy considered this one to be her friend, she didn’t think of her as being very brilliant. She would have liked to appoint a Prime Minister to her own liking and it would have been her father but he had insisted the tribe must learn to vote and do the choosing themselves. She begrudgingly allowed him to persuade her to do it his way. Now she wasn’t sure.

“SPIDER WEB”

ISBN 978-1-4535-4682-1 hard cover
ISBN 978-1-4535-4681-9 soft cover
ISBN 978-1-4535-4683-3 kindle

DILEMMA

PREFACE

When Matthew was six, he fell in love, as only a child can, with Julie, but she was nineteen and not married so couldn’t even adopt him. Later that year, she married Señor Barry, whose real name was Jedidiah Barrington, and they adopted Matthew. They produced three more sons, JJ, Josh and Jordan. Jordan and his father suffer from a rare tropical disease, which kept Jordan in a wheel-chair with his father soon to be in one as this disease was both crippling and terminal. A gunman, who was looking for Julie, kills them, while they try to protect her from him.

Julie later marries Doctor Denny Scotzovicka and they are missionaries in Mexico.

Matthew is now the only resident doctor at the mission hospital in Guatemala. His wife Margaret is a nurse. They both have a child from previous marriages. Margaret’s son, Johnny, is blonde and tall. He’ll soon be a full fledge doctor. Matthew’s daughter is dark skinned with black curly hair and is a few years younger. Her mother was queen of the ‘wild’ tribe and now Mercy is queen. The tribe has become Christian and is trying to move out of their heathen ways. They call themselves The Mercy Tribe.

Pepee, from the tribe, is Matthew’s good friend. He helped Matthew get to the hospital when the tribe became sick and many were dying. They were able to save about ten of the group of thirty.

Anna Marie was seven when left at the hospital by her drug-dealing foster parents. Matthew adopted her, just before he married Margaret. This story starts seven years later.

Chapter one

MARGARET

Margaret saw Matthew’s face turn from a healthy color to an unnatural gray. If he became angry his face would become bright red. She knew she could handle anger but the gray face was something more. Was it hurt? She wondered, or a heart condition?
Matthew turned his gray face toward his wife, Margaret. “Am I such a terrible father that this should happened?” He asked. She remembered him telling about his father asking the same question. Margaret looked at him with sad eyes. The color of his face worried her more than the question.

“Of course not, dear,” she told him, but she knew that no matter how often she denied the question of his parenting the hurt would still be there. She wondered vaguely if his father carried his hurt to his grave.

It was a hot summer in Guatemala that year with more rain than normal. Of course one expected rain when one lived on the edge of the rain forest but this year became unbearable. Mold encased everything. Even their shoes developed mold when left unworn for a day or two. All the children’s schoolbooks showed signs of mold and mildew damage with blackened page-edges and covers loose. Luckily or perhaps it was better to say that by the grace of God none of the children had developed lung problems from breathing in all the mold spores that clogged the air.
Doctor Charles had packed up his family and left for the States after his youngest child, his only daughter had an asthma attack that almost killed her. He was settled in a practice in Albuquerque now.

In a way, Margaret envied him. There were times that she wished her family could leave also. The thought swiftly flew through her mind. If she put pressure on Matthew, the only resident doctor at the hospital now, perhaps he would turn everything - the hospital, the clinics, the school and Mercy’s tribe - over to the Guatemala Government and leave. As soon as the thought entered her mind, she dismissed it. All these structures were built with money from churches in the States. They were all dedicated to God for His use. Besides there were Christians here who needed Matthew’s encouragement and others who needed to know about God. Matthew couldn’t,and wouldn’t leave, she knew. She was trapped in the heat and mold and now must help Matthew deal with Anna Marie.

Fourteen-year-old Anna Marie ran to Matthew and knelt at his knees. “I’m so sorry, Dad. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’m so sorry.” She buried her face on his knees and started crying. The tears were wetting his trousers and his first instinct was to pull away, but he didn’t. He didn’t put his hand on her head to comfort her either. Margaret saw Matthew looking down at the bent head as if he were seeing a stranger.
Anna Marie was a petite girl with straight dark hair that flipped up hitting her shoulders. Except for her size, she looked as if she were a blood member of the Barrington family.

Mathew was tall and still carried a hint of his football days. Matthew had taken Anna Marie in when her foster parents abandoned her at the hospital. She was a sweet girl of seven then, the same age he was when Jedidiah and Julie adopted him. Matthew gave her a home, his name and a big sister, Mercy.

Margaret hadn’t met Anna Marie until Matthew brought her with his own daughter to their wedding in Michigan. She supposed that she should have given the girl more attention but she and Matthew were newly married and the first few years of married life she worked full time at the hospital. She felt Matthew had denied himself of so many things in life and she wanted to give them all back to him. He deserves them, she told herself, and put all her energy in giving them back. He was her sole focus and the children suffered because of this.

“Just give me your love and understanding,” Matthew told her once when she asked about giving him something. Margaret tried to be the wife he wanted but there were many times she was sure he still felt unloved and misunderstood yet she felt that their marriage was special with a wonderful blended family. Johnny, her son would soon be a full-fledged doctor. He and Matthew bonded with no problems in that area. Johnny was spending the summer with them helping Matthew. He wasn’t at this family meeting because he was monitoring a very ill patient that Matthew and he operated on earlier in the day.

Mercy would be leaving to attend her third year at the Bible College in Atlanta. Margaret had left Mercy to do what mothering Anna Marie received and with Mercy gone for the school year, this was what happened. Anna Marie was to start at the local high school where JJ, Matthew’s brother, was principal. Now there would be the problem with school also.

Both Mercy and Margaret looked at Matthew for some words of advice. They waited quietly, not speaking, but they waited in vain. It seemed as if Anna Marie’s declaration had robbed Matthew of all speech.

Barry was asleep on Margaret’s lap. This child went to sleep every evening at seven thirty sharp and woke up to start the day at three thirty in the morning. He woke up at this time ever since he was born and no matter what they did to change his schedule, he still persisted in waking up to start the day when others wanted to sleep.

Matthew and Margaret started taking turns getting up, as there was no leaving him to entertain himself. The hospital staff and patients soon became use to seeing their doctor making his morning rounds an hour or so earlier than usual and with a baby in a carrier or later in a stroller.

Barry was Matthew and Margaret’s four-year-old son. Matthew hadn’t wanted to use his father’s nickname for his son but Margaret was obsessed with stories of Señor Barry. So he was named Barry Leland – her father’s name – Barrington. Matthew felt the name was a bit much for the little boy but Margaret insisted that he would grow into it.
Now as Margaret lifted the child up, he never stirred. His little angelic face denied the devilment he had created during the day. She took him to Mercy, who without any words, took the sleeping child up the stairs and put him in his bed before returning.
Margaret moved to sit beside her husband and put her arms around him wanting him to know that she was there for him. She felt him shudder but still he didn’t speak. She disengaged one arm and touched the crying girl’s head.

“Anna Marie, you should go up to bed now. We’ll speak some more in the morning.” The girl heavily pushed herself up from her knees and Margaret saw that the girl was farther along in her pregnancy then she had at first supposed. Why hadn’t I noticed this before? She wondered to herself. I could have told Matthew. Then it wouldn’t have been such a surprise.

Matthew handed Anna Marie a handkerchief and she wiped her red, swollen eyes, blew her nose and tossed it back into her dad’s lap. How rude! How disrespectful! Margaret thought but left the words unsaid as she grabbed the offending handkerchief and put it behind her.

“I’ll see you in the examining room tomorrow morning.” Matthew said to the retreating figure on the steps. It was the first words he had spoken and he sounded like a doctor not a father.

Mercy came up to her father then. “Dad, why are you so upset about this? After all you married my mother when she was fourteen.”

“What? Who told you that?”

“Pepee told me.” Mercy answered. Pepee was the spokesman for the tribe.

Matthew let out a long sigh. “I didn’t know,” he said then added, “No wonder she had such a hard time giving birth.” His words were barely audible.

“Is that when Mother died? When I was born?” Mercy asked. Her father had told her very little about her mother and the information from Pepee wasn’t very detailed.

“No, dear.” Matthew told his daughter. “You were two years old and led your Granny to your sick mother. The whole tribe was sick. You and two or three others were not so sick but many died that night, even your mother.” He sounded very sad.

“Where were you?” Mercy asked. “Surely you could have saved mother and the rest of them.” She thought her dad was super-human.

“You forget that I wasn’t a doctor yet. I’d just done the pre-med. part. Besides I had no medicine. I’d been telling your mother we needed to get to the hospital where there was medicine.” Matthew told Mercy and she eagerly grasped on to every detail.

“Finally, your mother sent me to the hospital to get some medicine to save the tribe.” Matthew stopped, debating in his mind if he should tell her the bargain he made with her mother -- that when he returned with the medicine, he could take his daughter and go to America to live there. He decided not to mention this part because whichever way he told the story her mother would look bad. Some things are best left unsaid, he thought.

“I took very ill on the way and if it weren’t for Pepee, I don’t suppose I’d have made it.”

“Wasn’t he sick?” Mercy asked, enthused with the story.
“Oh yes. He was very sick also but we tried to encourage each other.” Matthew smiled in remembering, forgetting his newest worry. “Pepee was my guard and he had orders to kill me if I tried to escape but I never tried as I loved you too much.”

Mercy smiled, “Thank you, Daddy,” she said. “But weren’t you afraid of Pepee if he
was supposed to kill you?” she asked.

“I was at first and even when he accept Christ, I wasn’t sure of him. But he is a wonderful friend now. I couldn’t do without him and I thank the Lord for him every day.”

“So what happened when you got to the hospital and why was Granny there?” Mercy wanted to know.

“Actually, Charles found us on the road and took us back to the hospital. He was on his way to Guatemala City to fetch Jul – ah your granny at the airport and as this was making him late he just dropped us off and left again. He didn’t know who we were as we were dirty and I had long hair and a big bushy beard.”

Mercy started laughing. “You must have looked a sight.”

“I guess I did.” Matthew continued. “I lapsed into a comatose state. Every time I woke up I’d speak in Spanish or the tribe’s language. I kept calling your name and also the word ‘medicine.’ They thought I was asking for mercy and wanting medicine for myself. It wasn’t until Charles got back with your granny that they found out my identity. Mother organized baskets of food to take but Charles insisted on going with her. It was now about ten or twelve hours since I’d left to get the medicine and that was too long for those who were sick. In fact, I’m not sure we could have saved them even if the medicine was given to them sooner.”

“What did they have?” Mercy wanted to know. “Why were so many dying even when you were still with them?”

“The government got involved in the end and their report said the people died from a combination of three causes. One was malnutrition, one was a new strain of malaria but the main cause was they had eaten some poisonous plant that gave them a ‘high’ but because of the other two reasons, it killed them in the end.”

“Didn’t you eat some of that plant also?” Mercy asked.
“I started chewing some but as soon as I realized it’s narcotic effect, I spit it out. We were so hungry at that time, we would have eaten about anything.”

“Did mother suffer do you think?” Mercy asked distressed.

“No, and I know we’ve told you this that she told your granny that she was not afraid to die because she knew Jesus. Most of the people went to sleep and died. Your mother kept herself awake until someone came for you. She was very brave.”

Mercy brushed away a tear. “She must have been only sixteen or seventeen then.”
“When you say that, it puts a whole new light on it. I’ve never respected your mother like I do right now.” Matthew was in a thoughtful mood.

Mercy thanked her father, wished him good night and headed for her room. Margaret realized that Matthew had used the term ‘your mother’ instead of ‘my wife’ or even her name, Ugh-hee, but she supposed she knew why. He told her once that he never loved his wife and only had relations with her the one time, which resulted in Mercy. There was no doubting that he loved his daughter and Margaret suppressed the ugly head of jealousy that persisted in rearing its head. She knew she was prone to wanting all of Matthew’s love for herself but she knew also when she married him that he had a family.

“I’m going to bed,” she told Matthew. “You coming now?”
“I’ll be up later,” he told her. “You go ahead.” Margaret gave Matthew a peck on his face before going up the steps. She peeked into Barry’s room but he was sleeping soundly. The light blanket that Mercy had placed over him was kicked off and he was lying with arms and legs spread out. She smiled. He was such an angel when asleep; if only he could be like that when awake. She closed the door noiselessly and went across the hall to where Mercy and Anna Marie were. Tapping lightly on the door but not waiting for an answer she walked in.

“I thought it might be Dad,” Mercy said as Margaret entered. “Maybe you can get her to stop crying. I’ll never get any sleep if she doesn’t.” Mercy complained, which was unusual, as a complaint from Mercy was very rare.

“Would you want to take your mattress into Barry’s room and sleep on the floor?” she asked. “Remember, he’ll be awake at three thirty.” But Mercy was already pulling her mattress off her bed. Margaret went to help her. “I want to talk to Anna Marie so this is best, anyway,” Margaret said as she opened the door and helped Mercy get settled in Barry’s room.

“DILEMMA”

ISBN 978-1-4535-4685-7 hard cover
ISBN 978-1-4535-4684-0 soft cover
ISBN 978-1-4535-4686-4 kindle

PAPER HEART

PROLOGUE

Jedidiah is the missionary who started the work in Guatemala. He now only goes to the field for the summer with the summer workers. He is finding the tropical disease that he has is robbing his strength. Soon he may not be able to even go on these trips.

Jedidiah has three sons, but he never takes them to Guatemala. He takes Matthew with him every summer, but Matthew is adopted.

Rebels, who call themselves ‘Freedom fighters,’ captured the group of summer workers the previous year. Jedidiah Barrington showed great courage and became an instant hero by insisting that the rebels release the others and keep only him. Months go and come but nothing is heard of Jedidiah so the general opinion was that he died leaving the rebels without a bargaining tool. No body was ever found as he was alive.

The Wild Tribe found him tied to a tree where the rebels left him. They try to restore his health, thinking that he could replenish their tribe, but Jedidiah would never consent to father a child or children as Julie was his wife. The tribe gave the youngest girl to Jedidiah. She was about twelve at that time. They were both taken to the mission hospital. The girl was not to come back until she became pregnant.

Matthew and Julie go to Guatemala to take Jedidiah home. Julie takes the girl back to Atlanta with Jedidiah, not knowing what else to do. Matthew stays with the mission doctor to help him.

Jedidiah’s youngest son, Jordan, has the same disease and has never been able to walk. He is now about seven, but still in a wheelchair. However he is very bright.

CHAPTER ONE

“I’m not a baby,” Jordan protested.

Matthew was carrying his brother Jordan to the car with plans to go back for the wheelchair having found it easier to carry his forty-seven pounds out first than try to navigate the ramp with the wheelchair.

Matthew knew that his brother didn’t like his inability to use his legs and now even his arms seemed to be losing the strength he needed to lift himself in and out of the wheelchair. At twelve, Jordan was still the size of a five-year-old with a bigger head and hands but his mind was like that of a brilliant scholar. The family didn’t notice his peculiar shape but strangers did and Jordan was sensitive to their looks and gasps of astonishment.

“Look!” He commanded Matthew, who having put him in the car was adjusting the straps to the child’s safety chair. “That man has a gun.”

A man had driven up the long, steep driveway and parked his car a few feet in front of his parents’ car. The parents were standing, talking to him but the man was angrily waving his gun, threatening them. “If I were in my chair, I could run him down.” Jordan said.

Matthew backed out of the car, recognizing the man with the gun. “Pa?” It wasn’t a friendly greeting, just recognition of who he was or had been to him. For three years, Matthew had called Harry Grout ‘Pa’ thinking this man was his father until Julie had rescued him.

“Who are you?” The man pointed his gun at this big, tall man.

“Matthew.”

“Ah. The skinny kid.” Harry said, then ignored him as he always had. Turning to Julie, his face turned an angry, ugly purple.

“It’s all your fault, pretty, little Ms Julie.” Harry said sarcastically, his face twisting in uncontrollable rage. “I’ve been in prison these long, horrible years because of you and been planning this the whole time. Now it’s your turn to suffer.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Matthew saw Jedidiah move, putting himself in front of Julie to protect her. Harry saw it also and switched his gun to cover them. Matthew gauged the distance and wondered if he could tackle Harry and get his gun. It had been some years since he was the football star but he would have to try.

Everything happened so fast, yet it all appeared to be in slow motion. Matthew leaped in a tackle. The gun went off. Bang. Bang. Bang. Three times. Matthew saw his parents crumble to the ground. His own tackle was short and he landed on the hood of the car, but the car was moving, pinning the gunman between the two cars. Matthew felt his body slowly sliding off the hood. His own head hurt and blood was dripping down into his eyes. He saw the gunman’s hand come up and was sure the next shot was meant for him, but he couldn’t move. He heard the shot. If I’m dead, why did I hear it? Matthew’s mind was unclear. He felt his body slam into the man. Did I make the tackle? Did we win the game? He could hear screaming voices and blaring sirens as he slipped into a deep, dark blackness.

“PAPER HEART”

ISBN 978-1-9535-2017-8 hard cover
ISBN 978-1-9535-2016-1 soft cover
ISBN 978-1-4535-2019-5 kindle