Liberty House Read online

  "Annie?" he asked.

  Annie seemed to know her siblings needed this time alone together. "I want to talk to Sawyer," she said to make an excuse.

  "Okay," Cole said and turned to Izzy and put his arm around her shoulder. "Let’s go, my Izzy-hon’."

  Sawyer eyed Annie after Cole and Izzy walked out. “Did you want to talk to me or was that an excuse?”

  “An excuse,” Annie replied. “I’m used to Izzy and Cole doing all this work. It's rough.”

  Sawyer smiled softly. “Well, maybe you can stay here for a bit.”

  Gloria sat in Ellen’s parlor. Tommy wanted to get up but was made to stay in bed longer. Only a little longer the doctor said.

  Ellen and Katrina appeared at the door, Katrina holding a tray of coffee and coffee cakes. "You look deep in thought. Can we come in?"

  Gloria nodded. "I would enjoy the company."

  Katrina sat on a chair next to her and Ellen.

  "What's on your mind?" Ellen asked as she fixed some of her coffee. She didn't miss much when her children were concerned.

  "Jerry proposed and I am not sure what to say."

  Ellen smiled softly, choosing her words carefully, "Are you ready?" They had talked about purity and being intimate in marriage many times.

  "I don't know." She looked at the hat she had been knitting, her fingers were white, "I think I might be able to now. Lucia Walker said something the morning before she died, 'That I can take my abuse into my future and not have a marriage with Jerry, or I can let it stay in the past where it belongs. It was only six years of my life. I shouldn't make it bigger than it was. I know it is not easy to do or say, but I can do it." She smiled wide, "I am going to tell Jerry, ‘Yes."’

  Ellen wiped at the tears in her eyes. "I’ve been praying for a miracle in your life like this, I shouldn't be surprised when He answers them."

  Katrina couldn't hold her joy. "I am very happy for you." She chuckled. "It's about time another Starry gets married."

  Gloria giggled. "I feel so happy and for the first time, I feel like I can do this."

  Katrina laughed. "Marriage is wonderful. I couldn't imagine life without Andrew in it."

  "I can see that. Seein’ you married has helped me see what a marriage looks like. How it can be for Jerry and me."

  Ellen sobered a little but kept her voice light, “My other prayer is that you children will know a Godly Church family and live where you can truly be kind to your neighbor and they will be kind to you." She sighed. "It's my wish that you won't know loneliness.”

  Katrina and Gloria looked at her in surprise.

  Katrina finally admitted, "I didn't know you dealt with loneliness."

  Ellen made a face. "I’m human too. I try not to be, and I fight it, but it has been hard since Missy died, I love raising her children, but I want her here with me. I have a hard time raising the children with no help or advice. Iron sharpens iron. None of us have that. I don't want y'all to have that in your marriage and life."

  "How do you think we can change it?" Gloria asked.

  "I have a dream, but I can't say anything yet."

  Katrina had to ask, "You have always said God called us not to have an easy life at times. This is the life we have, why are you changing on it?"

  Ellen sighed, "I do believe that, but I feel God wants us to do more for others because of our name here, we can't do much for others and no one ever knows us. I have been feeling we need something different for my little children, I don't want them growing up like my older children did, honestly."

  Katrina nodded, "It is one of the big reasons Andrew and I have not adopted. I don't want my child living this kind of life and leaving is not an option."

  Ellen took her hand and gave it a little squeeze, "God will give you the children when the time is right," she smiled tenderly, "He gave me nine beautiful children and they found me. God has big plans for Andrew and You just trust in the Lord with all your heart and your dreams will come true." She paused, "One day soon I will share my dream with you."

  They both nodded. Whatever it was, Ellen always had their best interest at heart. "Are you feeling alright, Ellen, you look pale? You should..." Katrina was interrupted when Charity walked quietly, needing Ellen for something. They were used to it, but Ellen gave her a look like everything was just fine, but Katrina had a bad feeling about it.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Cole watched the waves; it was soft against his feet. He held onto his twin sister’s hands. Feeling their pain with his.

  Izzy wanted to do a memorial with Cole so he could release them as well. She was always looking out for others.

  Cole was thankful though, it made him think about them. And what they both meant to him. He closed his eyes against the pain. The tears came anyway. Lucia was the first woman besides his aunt to touch his life. She was the one who picked him up when life got hard and made him face what he had to do. She was one person who knew his and Izzy’s pain at that time. She had even cried with him when he couldn’t handle what had been done to his sister. He tried to not think about that time. It was gone and passed. Though the pain may always be there.

  His thoughts drifted to his pa. Juan Jose was the first to help him when his pa died. He couldn’t help but be angry, his pa had finally died. When he had honestly wished him dead long before he did.

  He opened his eyes to watch the waves again. Even after this time, the pain was still there. Raw eating at him. He knew what he needed to do. He had been fighting this bitterness for so long. He just wanted it to go away. He wanted to release it, but his flesh didn’t want to.

  I can use you in many ways, My Son. Give me your pain. I will renew you, My beloved son.

  He knew he should, but he was so used to fighting on his own. Everything had taught him, you’re on your own in life. His sisters had both let go of anger at their pa years before. They had learned it didn’t do any good being bitter. He knew they were both right. He almost cried out for God to help him release it.

  Give me your life, and I will make your heart complete, my beloved.

  Cole finally fell on his knees on the hot Alabama sand. He cried his heart whispered as his sister held him, crying their own pain, "Lord, take it. Take this anger I have, this bitterness I have towards Pa. Take it and make me a new man. I want You to help me be my fullest, use me. Change me." He wept with joy and grief. The feeling in his heart was such joy and relief. The bitterness he had held onto for so long.

  He held onto Izzy feeling that pain in his heart leave. For the first time, he felt free from that time in his life. He felt free from what happened to Izzy. He wept as he held her tightly. He never took for granted how he could still touch her when no other man did. He wept as the pain finally released from that time. “I love you, Iz. I love you, baby,” he whispered as she cried against him.

  I shall rejoice in Heaven as my son gave me his heart. My beloved son. I have filled your heart and released you to love fully.

  Ellen didn't care if Tommy didn't want her there, she was going to be in this meeting no matter what. Mr. Runyan had called them to his house to decide what to do now that Tommy was healing. She felt well enough to come to this meeting or she would have just come for the spite of it.

  The children were at home. She worried about them and how they were dealing with all of this. They had been so moody lately. She still had that feeling and it had gotten bigger. She prayed about it and would fast until she knew what it meant or what God was telling her.

  Mr. Runyan walked in and asked how Tommy was doing.

  Tommy answered, but kept her eyes lowered.

  "What are your plans?" Mr. Runyan asked them all when he took a seat.

  "Well, I think we should just go back to Silkwood and we will just stop this deal. We will give the art Tommy has done and more if that is what you wish for," Maverick told him what they had decided on. "No one will blame you; we will thank you for all you have done."

  Mr. Runyan shook his head.
"Can I suggest what I wanted to do? Tommy comes back to another house I have. It is smaller and no one knows where it is. It is my personal house for when I want to get away. I would move all my maids and servants and hire only guards and men I trust. Ones that would take their one life for any of you. Sam can finish the training and I would like Cole and when his sisters come, they can stay as well and anyone that would be safer at my place."

  Maverick shook his head, stood up, and passed the room. "Why would you want to do this? None of it makes sense just to get Tommy art. I am struggling believing that."

  Mr. Runyan nodded. "It is more than that. You have given so much to the south, and no one really knows it. I want to pay you back by being kind."

  Maverick stared at him. "How do you know?"

  Mr. Runyan shrugged. "I know what y'all did and you never got thanked for it. I know you feed orphans and so many homeless during the war. I know you gave them clothes and I know you even served for the Union, which is the reason people hate ya’ll, but they missed what you did. I want to give back to you. Will you let me?"

  Ellen looked at him in shock, “I didn't know anyone knew what we did."

  "I wasn’t always rich. When I came here, I was headmaster of the Mobile orphanage. I heard rumors of this strange family and I believed it. All of the rumors and lies.” He looked sadly at Ellen since most of the lies were about Owen and her parenting. “I didn’t have any reason not to and I didn’t look well into the matter. I thought about finding out if it was true, but I didn’t want to upset the wrong people.” He cleared his throat like he had to admit, he believed the lies, “Then the war started, and things got harder. The children were the first to go without food, and I hated to see the starving war, children on the streets who never had a choice in this bloody war. I would pray and pray for food. Then every time I didn’t have any food left, a box of vegetables, bread, canned goods, or deer meat would be left at my door. I tried waiting for those that came, but every time I missed them. At the end of the war, I tried to find out who it was. I asked around and no one had that kind of riches. No one would admit it, but I knew you all were the ones who did it. So, in the last years, I said I would give back now that I am wealthy enough. I want to give back what you gave to others. I want this to be my thank you for you all. Will you let me?”

  They all stared at him in shock. Ellen had been giving orphanages food. She had done it to many orphanages and even the asylums. She never thought anyone would know what she had done or would thank her one day. What she had done in secret paid off in the light of day. She was too shocked to say anything. That time in her life was one of the hardest she had ever gone through. The lies and rumors were big and cut her deep. She had lost it all. Except for her children, and she almost lost them to war and to the lies. She never thought anyone would ever thank her for the good she did. She wanted to cry in relief on how it made her feel. Blessed.

  Maverick looked at Tommy and got a nod. He looked back at Mr. Runyan and shook his hand, “You got yourself a deal.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Tommy healed quietly and was out of bed in a week, but taking it easy. She had been training with Sam again. Not all was well, Tommy had found out Lucia and Sophia had been killed that day and felt guilty over it.

  Tommy might not admit the guilt, but Cole could sense it a mile away. Cole was back at living at the Daphne Estate and he felt like a new man without bitterness toward his father weighing on him.

  Izzy and Annie had come with him and were enjoying living there. It gave them a time of rest.

  Cole made sure no one left. Mr. Runyan was more than happy to help them. They were working on paperwork. He and Izzy were walking to lunch and passed her in the hall. "Tommy, I need to talk to you."

  She stopped; her eyes lowered. "I need to go. I’m sorry." She made an escape to the closest door.

  "I thought you said she liked people?" Izzy asked.

  "She does. She feelin’ guilty about what happened."

  Izzy nodded, understanding her emotions very well. "Cole, take a lunch break and go force her to talk to you."

  "You think I should."

  Izzy laughed. "I’ve seen you do it many times."

  "But never with..."

  "The woman you love," Izzy finished for him. "Better you than anyone else."

  He nodded. No reason to argue with his sister, she would get her point across somehow. "You know I’m really glad you came here."

  "I’m glad to be back. Now go, you got a mission." She grinned. "I’ll pray for you."

  "Thanks, I’ll need it." He turned to go in the room Tommy just went in.

  Cole walked into the huge parlor, which held a piano at one end and the other two couches, an easel, and the chair Tommy was sitting in with her back to him. He walked quietly so he could watch her paint, which he loved to watch. But today it was harder. He could see it in her face-she was doing it out of pain and guilt. Her color looked good; her head had left a little scrape, but she looked good. Too good in that yellow dress.

  When he looked at the picture, he was shocked. It was a painting of a beautiful white horse running across the beach. But the eyes of the horse were full of hatred and anger. Was that how she thought he thought of her? It couldn’t be further from the truth. Then it hit him-she was painting a picture of another man’s eyes, of what she saw in them. He was guessing it was the Feds or maybe her father. Or maybe the men. He hated knowing what they all did to her. "Wow, that’s a lot of emotion in one picture," he said softly behind her.

  She turned around fast and stared at him like she was about to flee.

  He moved to where he faced her, and they watched each other all the while. "You really think that’s what I think of you. That I would be angry or hate you? My feelings are far from that when it comes to you. It never entered my mind to blame you."

  "Really?" she asked, almost hopeful, but then looked away.

  "Yes," when he said it, he saw doubt in her eyes.

  She moved to sit on the couch and picked up a book.

  She wanted to play hard to get, so could he. He sat right beside her. She made a little scream like his touching hurt, "Tommy-Rose, what’s wrong?"

  "Don’t call me that," she snapped.

  He took her face gently in his hand, made her look at him while the other arm circled her waist. It felt too good to be this close, but he knew if he moved his arm she would move away, and he needed her near. He told himself. He spoke softly, "Tell me you feel too guilty to even look at me and tell me you think I’ll hate you."

  Tommy turned her head away and tried to get up, but Cole kept his arm around her and whispered, "Let me go."

  "No, not until you tell me." Cold demanded just as gentle. She smelled strongly of cinnamon. It was strapping. He was having a hard time thinking with her this close.

  She was silent for many minutes. He felt her relax against him. It was their wills fighting each other. She finally cried. "Fine. Yes, I think you will hate me. I took two of your friends away, just like Diana." Tears fell down her cheeks. "And I don’t know why you don’t hate me, you should." She put her head in her hands and cried.

  He took her in both of his arms and held her. He hurt when this woman hurt. He thought how easy it would be to bend his head down and kiss her pretty lips. Just to comfort her. He told himself he could hold his feelings back in one kiss. He closed his eyes and prayed for her to be all right, taking his mind off kissing her. He knew he couldn’t do that and stick to his values.

  When Tommy calmed down, he let her go and stood up so he could think again. And when he stood up and looked back at her, he still couldn’t think straight. So, he thought of what she was going through and not what he wanted to do at the moment. "Do you feel better?"

  She nodded. "Yes. Sorry I cried on you."

  "Hey, don’t be, I don’t mind," he muttered. Of course, he didn’t mind, he wanted to kiss her for goodness’ sake. He sobered, knowing he had to be honest with her. “You know it'
s not your fault. I believe the men hit my friends because they were paid to. I don’t think it had to do with you.”

  “Why?” She asked, confused.

  Cole shrugged. “Things had gotten worse for them. It seems like some old enemies are back and they could have paid the men to kill them or just been revenge.” He sighed as he sat down on the sofa and waited till Tommy did as well. Her hands in her lap frozen like she didn’t want to hear it, but knew it mattered to Cole and she needed to. “You need to know my friends have made some dangerous enemies. They help with the white slave trade, so they have bought many girls from that life.” He didn’t think it was Striker like Izzy did, so he didn’t mention that name. Though Tommy might have heard it before. He wasn’t sure. Just not mentioning Striker would be best.

  Tommy didn’t know this. She knew Sophia had been a child prostitute. One her father rescued when she was an adult, but this was so much to take in. She wasn’t sure how she felt about it. It was so much to take in. “How will you find out who paid the men to do it?”

  Cole looked at her tenderly for asking though it was hard. For caring about him. He almost forgot to answer. “Izzy and I are going to go to the starting of Liberty House and find answers.” He decided to be honest with her about what he was feeling. “It helps to know I will see my friends again. Though it still hurts. They are in a better place.” He had never been this open with a woman before. He felt vulnerable.

  She looked at him compassionately. “They’re with Ben and Missy.”

  He smiled, softly feeling emotional, so touched by her words. She might not believe, but with confidence, she knew her second parents were in Heaven. “You have no doubt they will be in Heaven.”

  Tommy nodded. “Ben was the first person to show me that he loved me fully. I never doubted his love for me. I often wonder if Owen really loves me. He changed so much when Ben died. I know it shouldn’t matter so much now that I am older, but…” she made a face like it mattered.