Charlie checked his email and put the phone on "Vibrate" as he bounded up the stairs to Jenny's house. He frowned at the sagging trim and peeling paint. He had to get her out of this dump.
He adjusted the collar of his navy polo shirt, checked his chinos, and finger-combed his thick blonde hair into place. The door opened suddenly and he stood face-to-face with - his mother in law.
Her lined face tightened up as she frowned at him. "What are you doing here?"
Charlie took a deep breath and reminded himself to mind his witness. "I'm here to see my wife." He felt like he had the time Karen had caught them in bed, their senior year of high school.
Karen scoffed at him and turned on her heel, leaving the door open. "I never understood what she saw in you." she muttered. Charlie took another deep breath.
Their raised voices woke Jenny, a few minutes later. She staggered down the hall, eyes blurry, coughing into her hand. She glared and them both and pointed at Princess, hiding under the table. Jenny then headed for the fridge, poured herself some juice, and drank it, putting her empty glass in the sink.
The house was so quiet it echoed as Jenny shut the refrigerator door and absently pressed on it to make sure it was closed. "I will" she began, "Throw you both out. I am going to bed, to sleep. If you can't be quiet, get out. I'm sick and the last thing I need is you two bickering." Jenny stomped off to bed as Karen and Charlie gaped at each other.
"She's got boundaries." Charlie murmured in approval.
"Karen, please let me talk. I think you need to hear my testimony."
He shared how he'd been overwhelmed as a young husband, seeking God, and fallen into the cult. They'd loved him so much, showering him with approval. Slowly, though, the approval came with conditions. Karen nodded somberly.
"Jerks remind me of a few men I knew." she muttered. Charlie nodded and continued.
He told her of the slow slide into legalism, the increasing demands for larger "tithes", and a more restrictive dress code for Jenny. "You know Jenny is..." Karen nodded. If anything, her daughter was too conservative. Jenny was very modest and self-concious of her scars.
"Looking back, it was crazy, but I couldn't see it. Jenny just wanted to make me happy and did whatever she could to make that happen. She practically wore a burqua. She covered her hair." Their eyes met, Jenny always had such pretty hair, and she loved to wear her ponytail. Charlie began to choke up. "I was squeezing all the love out of her, but she still stayed."
Charlie paused. "What do you know about why she left?" Karen thought for a moment. "The obvious, I guess, you threw out her medication... let me tell you, when I found out I wanted to...." Charlie held up his hand. "My Dad beat me for it. As he should." Karen relaxed and took a sip of her tea.
Charlie had brought his own drink, a bottle of Dr Pepper. He unscrewed the cap and took a long drink before he resumed speaking. "He tried to molest her." Karen jerked.
"The leader tried to molest her and she said no. She tried to tell me but I wouldn't hear it. The next day, he called me in for a private conference - when I got home I threw out the medication. I have to think he figured if she were 'mental' no one would credit her story. He was abusing several women in the cult."
Karen's body felt like one giant knot as she processed the story. She'd tried to protect her daughter; who'd been abused. Jenny had eloped with Paul, who seemed like a decent man, and she'd been abused again. Karen rolled her head from one side to the other as tears streamed down her face.
"Why do we fail her, Paul? She's made of love, and we..." Charlie held her as she cried, awkwardly patting her back. He did the only thing he could think to do and offered her his other soda, which she drank greedily.
"It has a better ending" Charlie resumed. "After Jenny left, I went to the police. You know I majored in accounting." Karen nodded. Jenny had been so proud when he'd gotten his degree. Charlie smiled, a slow, evil grin. Karen leaned forward. "What?"
"The ah, brother had put me in charge of the books. He had a lot of hidden assets. After I'd read Jenny's letter I was able to determine his other victims. I went to the Police." Karen gasped. "I was a confidential informant for several months, until they went to jail." He smiled sadly. "I wanted to go after Jenny, more than anything, but I had to cut the head off the snake." He sighed. "By then I was a mess, I didn't think I deserved her. I still wanted God in my life but I was paranoid about another cult. I didn't want to get back to Jenny until I was right."
Karen leaned back slowly, fingering the lace edge of her blouse as she appraised her son-in-law. "Are you?" Charlie sighed.
"I don't deserve her, but I love her more than anything. I want her in my life. I finally found a real church and I want her to meet them. How is she with God?" He'd read some of her blog, enough to know Karen was saved, but Jenny was pretty close-mouthed about her own faith.
"She reads the Bible every day. She prays for everyone, even you and the people who hurt her." Karen winced. "Sorry." Charlie waved it off.
"I mentioned going to my church, it's a Calvary Chapel." Charlie bolted up and grinned at her. "You too, huh? You must go to the Northside." He nodded.
"Charlie" Karen sighed. "I think she'd rather die before going back to church. You've burned her."
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