Liberty House Read online

Sawyer continued, "He cut us both in the same place, right on the side. Tommy's wasn't that bad, but mine was. I couldn't stop the bleeding. I thought I would bleed to death. And it didn't end there. We heard a gunfight. It was close but loud with the thunder and lightning. A man ran in and found us. Tommy was sleeping or passed out. I remember thinking everything would be alright now. We could go live back home. Though I knew Pa had probably died. We wouldn't be alone because we had friends who were family. The man looked around at all the blood and how bad we looked. His face showed such disgust. I will never forget his eyes. He took us to this big house with a large fence around it. I was in bed for a while healing, and every time I saw someone, I would ask why I wasn't going home. They gave me a fake smile and said in good time."

  "I got better and tried running away with Tommy though I knew we were far from home but not far enough where I couldn't get home. Juan Jose had always said, "Follow the smell of the gulf, and it will lead you home." He paused. "Then, I thought you didn't want us, and no one at home wanted us.

  Cole shook his head, "We had no idea where you were. The cousins searched for weeks, for months. We tried everything we knew, but we came up with nothing. Like you said, you were far away. And they didn't want us to find you."

  "I ended up telling them what happened thinking the Feds would help me, but they didn't. They just kept asking what we knew, and who it was who kidnapped us. I had seen his face and told them I thought he wasn't on any wanted posters, but they also didn't put him on one."

  Maverick spoke up, "Why not?"

  Cole answered, "They didn't know who it was, but they were bought off and burned the picture of him. We found files on it when the Coopers ended up dead. No name or face was mentioned, and it has been years since it happened. A man can change a lot in those years."

  Sawyer nodded, "I finally gave up after Charlotte left, and soon after, we had to leave. I knew they were not going to pick the same town that was for sure. When they tried to separate us, I handled it calmly and then snuck into Tommy's train. She was riding with other orphans like I was supposed to. I waited till we stopped for the first time and then got with the other orphans, and we came here."

  Tommy had stopped shaking as badly as she had been, "I remember seeing you on that train. I thought I was dreaming of the nightmare I was in. I was so relieved, and I knew we would be alright."

  Sawyer nodded, “When we got here, I was afraid to tell y’all she was my sister, so I said I met her on the train. I thought if I told you, you would ask why she was mute or had nightmares. After the Feds, I didn’t want to say. I was afraid of how y’all would handle knowing the truth. I thought if I just left it behind, I wouldn't have to think about all we had lost. All we have left behind.” He paused, "I never thought the men would come back and come after us, but Cole said something about them trying. I just shook off what you said. Then they hit for the first time, five years later. I didn't know it was him until a year later for sure when he sent a letter saying, 'I destroyed all you had as children by paying off people and killing them. Say a word and I will make your new family go away. Who knows? I could have poisoned that black couple.' " Sawyer shook his head. "I never told anyone. I can see now that what he wanted was more control and power over all of us. I almost left, but knew I couldn't do that."

  Ellen shook her head, "We would never hold this against you."

  Sawyer nodded, "I didn't want anything to happen to y'all. I had lost Ben and Missy. The pain was too much."

  "I wasn't sure how to start talking. I had never told a soul. I thought about it, but then I shoved the memories back. The Feds took what I needed most. They took my picture ‘cause it was dirty. It had my blood on it, and the Feds said forget the past. They are gone." Tommy shook. "I needed that picture, but they took it."

  Cole nodded, " Yes, they did. They took so much from so many lives. Don't get bitter. Most of them paid their price for taking so much from so many." He looked at her affectionately, "I have prayed for almost two decades to find you.”

  Tommy looked into his eyes, "I used to wish you would find me so many times. You would come get me and take me home."

  "I wanted that more than anything." Tears came to his eyes.

  Tommy was surprised. Why was he crying for her? She didn't have any tears that were hers. She didn't mourn for anything or anyone; that was how she was taught.

  "Someone once told me tears ain't a weakness, but a way to tell God how you feel. She told me God wept with me." Cole whispered.

  "Who was that?" She looked away knowing his answer.

  "You."

  She shook her head. "No, that was Julia, not me."

  Cole sighed and tried to wipe the tears, but he let them fall. He had waited so long for this moment, this day. Now it was here, and his face seemed to show how he felt in this bittersweet joy moment.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Tommy looked at her family. "So that's pretty much the whole story." She couldn't ask them what they thought. Telling them hurt so much. None of them knew that at this moment, they were either choosing to be a family or ending what they treasured most. So much held in what they said.

  There was silence. Most of the family cried at times, listening to their story, all except Tommy.

  Ellen was still holding her. "I never knew how much my two little Texans could be hiding. I am so sorry for all you have suffered. I just thank God He brought you to me."

  Tommy shook. "I am sorry for lying for so long. We shouldn't have."

  Ellen kissed her. "It's all right, baby. I love you so much."

  Matt spoke up, "I love you and Sawyer. Nothing you can do would change that. You're my true sister and brother."

  Tommy couldn't breathe. She had so much emotion.

  Gloria got up and hugged her. "I have always loved you both and will always love you both. Nothing will change that. You're my little sis, remember?"

  Tommy nodded, too filled with emotion to talk.

  Katrina moved her frizzy hair to one side. Her eyes red from tears, "I understand why both of you didn't tell. If Andrew would allow me to keep a secret, I would." She smiled lovingly.

  Andrew put an arm around her, to control his emotions, and then looked at Tommy. "You're the foundin' of this family; we would be lost without y’all. I love you, sis." He looked at Sawyer. "You help this family by standin' by it and always carin.' I love you, bro."

  Jerry cleared his throat. "I've been a friend of the family for years. You both make the family complete."

  Susan wiped her eyes. "I'm new to the family, and I've never known a better one. I've seen this family work enough to know they can't make it without you. Tommy dear, I love you." She choked on a sob and then turned to Sawyer. "And Sawyer, the brothers depend on you and need you."

  Cole chuckled. "Sawyer's right. I like Julia Tommy Starry too much to give her up again. And Izzy would kill me."

  Tommy smiled at that comment.

  Jesse broke the spell of love in the room, he looked angry. "What those men did to you two, I could kill them myself."

  Tommy thought she had been hit. She could tell Sawyer's reaction was the same.

  Ellen cleared her throat and tried to meet Jesse's eyes. Tommy knew why, but like normal, Jesse didn't get the message.

  "I still love you, sis," Jesse finished saying.

  Tommy felt slapped by that comment. It did not help her feel secure in their love, though she was trying. How she hated the word still, like even after this, she could be loved. It made her think she did something wrong. She knew her brother didn't mean it the way it came out, but it came out that way, nonetheless.

  Owen spoke softly, "I am in shock over what y'all said. I am not sure what to say, but I love you both so much it wouldn't matter what it was that you had done."

  "I am feeling the same thing," Frank grunted. He wasn't a man of many words. His grunt said he cared for them.

  Maverick came over and sat on the ground next to her. "I understand why you didn't
tell us. If I could, y'all might have not known about my own story. I knew you were hiding something, but nothing this big. You've always been there for me, and I will always be there for you no matter what. I love you." He said as tears came to his eyes.

  Tommy reached out and hugged him. "Thank y'all for still loving us."

  "I don't want you saying that again. We love you both and will always." Ellen told her. "Family for life."

  They had coffee and talked some more, but didn't ask Tommy or Sawyer many more questions. They could see she was tired and worn out. And they all had a lot to think about. Sleep would not come for a long time.

  "Why don't you head to bed, honey? We can talk in the morning. We'll have Frank watch the office, so we can all stay here," Ellen told her.

  "Are you sure?"

  "Of course. We'll be here in the morning," Matt told her as he looked outside, and the sun was rising. He grinned. "We'll be here when you get up."

  "Y'all should try to sleep too."

  Matt shrugged.

  When she got up, Matt hugged her. She walked towards the bedroom with Ellen, but Maverick stopped her halfway and pulled her to him. Tears ran down his face as he cried while he held her.

  Tommy held him back, and she felt tears come back to her eyes. She hadn't cried in years. She didn't know how to let them fall. She felt so bad for causing her family this pain. Finally, Maverick stepped back and wiped his eyes. "I love you, Tommy."

  "I love you too, Maverick."

  He hugged her again, and she walked to the room with Ellen.

  She lay down on the bed in her clothes. She had never been so exhausted, physically and emotionally. She looked at Ellen as she sat on the bed almost like she had when Tommy was young, and she tucked her in. Ellen had still not cried or shed many tears. Tommy knew she wouldn't unless she was in private or with Katrina. She let the tears go but never with them. Not since Pedro and how much grief she dealt with then. For when they were children when mothers cried, they never stopped until they died or left them. It had happened so often in the war when mothers got word their man had died.

  When Tommy would go to the orphanage to give the starving children food, they would talk to her as if she still lived there. Maybe it was how pretty and healthy she looked, and she never spoke so she would never tell a soul. They would tell her their mothers lost everything, wealth, friends, high society. So many mothers just laid down and never got up again. The nannies would take them to the closest home or church. If they were lucky enough, they were placed in those places, but so many ended up on the streets. Tommy remembered Ellen telling Missy that the reason so many orphans were in the south was because southern women didn’t bond with their babies, as much, and working for that child seemed impossible. Nannies did the baby raising. Many southern parents saw their children only a handful of times by the age of five or six. While northern women did raise their children and worked hard to keep those children when life got hard. Maybe that was why Ellen was so strong on bonding with her children, most of whom she raised from their teens. Ellen called their way of life northern grit. Missy, the nanny, had Southern spice. "I feel bad I never told any of y'all. Your trust in me was broken."

  "Let it go, my dear. It's over and done with. About their trust, you will just have to build it back. It will take time." She paused. "Don't rush it, everyone is going to be feeling a lot of different feelings. Give it time." Ellen pushed her hair back from her face. "I love you, my daughter. I thank every day God brought you into my life."

  Tommy almost had a tear fall, but she sat up and hugged her. "I love you, too," she said and lay back down. "Like Sawyer said tonight, I lost my other ma, my second ma, and now I have a great, most wonderful ma."

  "I am glad God let me be that Ma." Ellen smiled softly, "But your Nanny is the reason you got along with Missy more than me."

  Tommy nodded. "I didn't see the way Sawyer did. When Nanny left, I blamed my Pa. He made my Ma leave and now Nanny. It was his fault. So, I felt better with Missy than with you. I reacted to a white woman tellin' me what to do. In my past, all the women in my life were of color. Cole's ma, his aunt and uncle, George's ma, and nanny."

  "I shoulda known you had an important, kind nanny in your past, and I understood that." Ellen kissed her forehead again. "Sweet dreams, Tommy."

  Tommy closed her eyes and tried to think of peaceful sleep without dreams, any dreams, but she fell into a fitful sleep.

  Everyone was thinking about their own thoughts when Tommy left.

  Jesse asked Gloria if she had any alcohol in the house.

  Gloria glared at him and said, “You know we don’t. You don’t need it now. We all need to be sane and sober.”

  “Sane? This family ain’t that,” Jesse mocked.

  “I happen to like this insane family. Now Jesse, sit down and forget about drinking. It doesn’t do any good anyway,” Jerry told him.

  Jesse sat, still looking angry.

  Gloria finally lost it, she cried in Jerry’s arms. Susan then did the same in Matt’s arms.

  The others were just left to their own thoughts.

  Ellen sat by Katrina on the sofa, "How are you doin’?"

  Katrina's eyes were dry at the moment and signed, "Just because I ain’t crying… I care. I just can’t deal with it all. It's so much."

  Ellen nodded and signed. "I understand. Just don’t let this harden your soft heart, hon."

  Katrina looked at Gloria. She worried more about others than she did herself. Gloria and Tommy were the closest of sisters. They were roommates at the orphanage and then at Missy's cabin. This would take a while for the wall to come down. She shrugged. She would get through this, she always did. She had Andrew. She took his hand and looked up in his eyes now that the house was almost lit by the sun instead of lamps. He has tears on his dark tan cheeks, his face looked like he had aged overnight.

  Maverick muttered something about going outside to feed the horses and walked out.

  “I’ll help him,” Andrew said, he kissed Katrina on the cheek. Then he followed his brother out the door. Knowing Maverick, he would shovel out the entire barn stalls in two hours. When he got stressed or worried, he would work himself to the bone.

  Matt looked all around at his hurting family. “Let’s all get on our knees and pray for our family and everyone involved.” They all formed a circle and held hands and prayed. They prayed and still felt a heavy burden.

  Maverick and Andrew came in on this. Katrina moved to make it bigger, she held out her hand for both. Andrew looked on for a few seconds, and then took Katrina’s hand. He and Maverick both knelt.

  They continued to pray, and the most amazing thing happened- they all felt at peace and love for each other and Tommy. The love seemed to fill the entire house. They seemed at peace about Tommy and Sawyer and what they had just found out. They felt loved by God like He was showing them love so they could love their family as He loved them. His children Who He created, He loved unconditionally, despite their faults and not only because of their strong values. The family felt His presence in the room, all around them. Like God was blessing them, making them feel His power, His glory. They all seemed to hear His power say, God is love. Love is kind. Love is suffered through all. Love is strong. Love does not envy. Love is doth not unseemly. Love is not easily provoked. Love does not think evil thoughts. Love rejoices in truth. Love beareth all things. Love believeth all things of hope. Love endureth all things. Love never fails. Love is God and God is Love. Jesus is Love. Christ is love. And They-three in one-Love all the world, including all Starry Yankees.

  The Starrys never felt love by the world; they were rejected, abused, and found unwanted. But tonight, none of that matters, they felt God’s perfect Love for them. It filled the room. It filled their hearts.

  They all became united that early morning like never before. They realized this family is here to last and they would all put their best effort to make that happen despite each other faults and sins. They would love
anyways. Unconditionally. With God to help them, they would make it. They would learn from His perfect love. One united family, the Starry Yankees.

  About five hours later, Maverick woke from a deep sleep at the sound of Tommy’s scream. He ran to her room, opened the door and nearly missed a bullet, he landed on the ground. He could see Tommy against the wall holding her pistol pointed to the door, still in her nightgown. Maverick could hear the brothers behind him. He told them to get down. He moved along the floor to her.

  She must have heard him because she yelled, “Don’t come any closer! I can protect myself this time. I got the gun this time.” Her whole body was shaking.

  Maverick continued to move closer, he had to go under the bed. He hit the wood post with his foot.

  She screamed. “No closer or I call my friend on you. He’s tough. He's beaten even the bad bullies. Cowboy says he won’t let bad come to me.”

  Maverick was almost to her now. She didn’t see him. Her wide eyes were on the door.

  “Cowboy says I am his Yellow Rose of Texas. He won’t let anything happen to his yellow rose. He promises.”

  Maverick could hear the hope in her voice, that someone would rescue her, from this dream and from the men. He moved fast and knocked the gun out of her hand. He jumped on her, wrapping her in his arms but not before she dug her nails in his neck. Her nails cut deep, he grabbed her hands and Andrew helped him hold her.

  She screamed and fought him. “No! Not again. I will always fight you. Like Cowboy fights the Coopers. He will come for me. He’ll get you,” Tommy yelled. She might hopefully say it, but her voice said despair and had no hope. She knew in her dream that her cowboy would not come. She stopped fighting and went limp in his arms.

  Maverick carried her to the bed and laid her on it. He sat next to her for some minutes just looking at her pretty face even if she didn’t look at peace even in her sleep.

  Susan came in and looked at Maverick 's neck. “Come to the kitchen.” She left expecting him to follow her. And he went after, leaving Andrew and the rest of brothers with Tommy. Cole followed him knowing they had to talk.