Lovers and Reprisals (Lovers Series) (26 page)

She said...

“If you do this...it’s for the children you know.  And there are proper procedures that will have to be observed.”

He smiled, then said...

“Not a problem.  And I can count on your help to guide me through the process.”

Her brow rose in question, then her forehead lowered forming a frown.  She said...

“Uh...oh, yes--I guess I will need to explain the Conclave procedures won’t I.”

“Yes, you will.”  He said, then his brain leapt forward.  When he learned the Conclave procedures, he planned to be rock head dumb.  Lucien supposed the process may take an entire afternoon if he pretended to have a reading disability; and of course, this meeting would include a meal.  Oh, yes; things were shaping up just fine.

**********

“How was your coffee with Rachel?”

Ona was spooning up a bowl of soup for Caleb.  The question had been meant for him, but Noah spoke first.

“Rachel?  Isn’t she the young lady that’s volunteering at your program?  The nurse, right.”

Noah pulled out his chair, then sat at the dining table.  Her brother was home on one of his scheduled days off, and Geff had joined him.  She was thankful that Samaritan customs prohibited non-related males to enter a family home, unless one of the parents were there, acting as chaperone.  This rule was enforced if the male had marriage in mind, and within her family, they all knew about Geff’s intentions.

Ona handed Caleb his bowl, and he avoided eye contact when he said...

“Coffee was fine.”

Noah said...

“You met the nurse for coffee?”

“Yes...I thought I’d made that clear.”

Noah asked

“Was this just a one time thing or have you met her more than that one time?”

Ona joined them at the table, then she said...

“According to Rachel, they’ve been meeting once or twice each week .”

Caleb rolled his eyes, then he shoveled a spoonful of soup in his mouth.  He remained quiet on the subject, and he hoped that the topic would drop.  With their parents out of the country, it was Noah’s responsibility to handle family issues.  Even though they were all adults, and responsible for their own lives, Noah believe it was his duty to continue his inquiry.  His arm rested on the edge of the table with empty spoon in hand.

Noah said...

“Are these meetings concerning Ona’s project or are you meeting her for other reasons.”

Caleb raised his head without lifting his eyes.  His face held a strained expression when he said...

“A little bit of both.”

“Can you be more specific?”

“I could but...I’m not sure how to answer you.”

Ona studied Noah’s face, waiting for him to respond.  One brow rose, as if he were engross in heavy thought.  When he traded a glance with her, they both knew what Caleb had meant.  Caleb wasn’t bound by the Samaritan Creed like they were.  If he decided to marry outside of their Sect, he could do so; but his choice would amount to him being excommunicated.  He would be band from entering any Samaritan communes, and he couldn’t set foot on the inside of a Samaritan Conclave.  In short, he would be banished, and Ona had known this growing up as a kid.  They’d all known this, but the topic wasn’t something they ever discussed.  The notion was to painful too consider.

Ona changed the subject.

“So...would you both agreed that my project is up and running well?”

Caleb said...

“You’ve done a wonderful job Ona.  Everyday, the building is filled to capacity and the children seem to be enjoying themselves.”

Noah swallowed his soup, then he said...

“I’d like to stop by tomorrow if you don’t mind.  I heard that you managed to get a few bunnies shipped in from the Virginia Conclave.”

“Yes.  And the children love them.”

Caleb said...

“When you see the faces on those kids...I’m sure you’ll be just as proud of her as I am.”

Ona said...

“I’m glad you feel that way Caleb...because I’ve been thinking.”

“Oh no.”  Noah joked.  “She’s been thinking.  Here it comes brother--you’d better prepare yourself.”

Both brothers laughed, and Ona joined in because she only asked for help when moving furniture was involved.  She smirked then she said...

“Ha, ha.  So glad to make you laugh.  But seriously...”

Her eyes landed on Caleb, when she said...

“I spoke to mom last week--and she said that the rainy season is slowing their progress.  The workers in the village are beginning to get discouraged.”

Noah said...

“I spoke to them last week as well, and they said that they might have to change the floor-plans of the school.  They’re running out of time, and the villagers might have to settle for a smaller school.  Much smaller than the ones mom and dad are use to building.”

Caleb said...

“That doesn’t sound good.  What will the Conclave do when they hear about this?”

Noah said...

“Not meeting projected goals could call into question future projects.”

“In other words” Caleb said...  “This doesn’t sound good for our parents.”

Ona said...

“That brings me to my point.”  She wore a serious expression when she said...

“I don’t need you here Caleb.  My program is up and running fine--everything is in place.  But mom and dad...they need your help.  Just think how much more they can get done, with another set of experienced hands.  You’ve helped them build schools in the past.  You know everything there is to know, and it makes perfect since that you join them in the Congo.”

The siblings traded glances.  Last year, Ona and Caleb had worked alongside their parents, but this year she was running her own project.  And she was right.  She didn’t need him, and he wondered what had prevented him from coming to the same conclusion.  Then it hit him; he understood the reason that had kept him from joining his parents.  She stood a hairbreadth just below his chin if she was wearing flat shoes.  She had a complexion that was a smooth rich shade of coffee with a hefty dose of cream.  And her eyes--Caleb had stared into the well of her eyes, even though he’d known that the temptation was to great and his agony grew each time they parted ways.  He could admit this to himself, but as for his siblings; he couldn’t divulge this secret to Ona or Noah.

Noah said...

“If you leave in a day or two, you could be with our parents in less than five days.  Caleb...Ona is right.  The beginning of this year had presented us with challenges, but Ona is well, and she’s knee deep in her project.  It’s time for you to do the same.  If she needs anything, she has our Sect family to depend upon.  As long as she lives in this commune, she’s never completely alone.”

Noah spoke definitively, as if Caleb had no other options  to consider.  Caleb lowered his eyes, shifting his concentration on his soup.  The Zelle’s had been good to him, and their generosity went beyond feeding, clothing and giving him a home.  Zachary and Aldeara loved him, as if he’d been born into their family.

He lay the spoon in the bowl, and even though he felt weighed down by this choice, he found the strength to say...

“I’ll contact the Conclave in the morning.”

“Good.”  Noah said...  “Mom and dad will be so pleased to see you.”

Caleb nodded thoughtfully, but his concerns weren’t for his parents.  He couldn’t leave without talking to Rachel and he wasn’t sure at what point she’d began to matter to him.  The rest of the evening, Ona talked about future plans for her project, and Noah told her about the bridge construction.  They had their projects to keep them busy, and the time had come for him to busy his hands.  He remembered one of the Samaritan Creeds he’d been taught shortly after he’d been adopted.  Idle hands are of no help to others, and since the start of the New Year, he’d been idle long enough. 

**********

Ona waved at the last of the children leaving the building.  They were laughing and skipping as if they didn’t have a care in the world.  Two of the children had experienced the unpleasantness of witnessing their parent being murdered.  On their first day, they had stood off in a corner, hesitantly watching and unsure if they wanted to participate.  Oh, what a difference her project had made and most of the children had experienced positive results.  She reminded herself that this was the reason she did this.  Those smiling faces were her motivation to do whatever had to be done to expand and help as many children as she could.  Ona’s heart was galloping at a steady pace and she was on the brink of hysteria.  She closed her eyes, then she mentally counted backwards, starting at ten in her head.  She could hear the children saying...

“Goodbye Miss Ona...”

She didn’t reply and she knew that Sahara and Rachel weren't far behind them.  When she opened her eyes, she watched them wave, then Rachel told the children to go straight home.  Ona directed her eyes on the clock and she didn’t notice when the two women had joined her. 

Sahara said...

"I checked each station and everything appears to be properly stored."

Ona absentmindedly nodded then she said...

"Thank you Sahara."

Her voice trembled a bit, and Sahara rightly detected her apprehension.  She shared a glance with Rachel, and her gaze was returned with a knowing set of hazel eyes.  Rachel's gaze hinted that it was best to remain quiet.

Rachel rounded the counter, pretending that an awkward moment had not been averted, when she said...

"Do you want to share a cab?"

This was an obvious zinger, because they lived in opposite directions.  Sahara wanted to point this out, but Ona responded before she could bring this to their attention.

Ona appeared distracted when she shook her head, and her voice quivered when she said....

"No thank you.  He's sending a car."

Sahara slanted her head at an angle because she sensed some hanky-panky going on.  Earlier, she’d heard talk about Lucien Delors but that’s all it had been; talk--and now she was hearing different.  She had an opinion and she wanted to be heard.  Sahara flung back one of her dread-locks, when she said...

"So, you’ve decided...  You’re going to take Lucien Delors' up on his offer."

Today when Ona arrived at the center, Rachel had joined her while they prepared for the arrival of the kids.  As they worked, she welcomed any conversation that didn’t involve her or Lucien Delors.  Ona listened and Rachel told her about her afternoon spent with Caleb.  Ona’s heart nearly broke because even though she’d known about Caleb and Rachel; she didn’t know the extent of their relationship.  Rachel had fought back tears because she didn't like the idea of Caleb leaving.  She’d sensed a growing attraction and their friendship didn’t feel like a platonic relationship.  Rachel believed, that given time, due to their shared interest; a romantic connection was just beyond the horizon.  Ona didn’t have much to add on that topic and when the conversation stalled, Ona told Rachel that she'd decided to meet Lucien to discuss their space issues.  The program had outgrown the warehouse and something had to be done, because everyday, children would arrive, and they didn’t have the space to accommodate them.  All day, Ona had toiled over the facts and she had not discussed her problem with either of her brothers before they’d left.  She’d agonized over this, because she'd purposely waited until Caleb and Noah had left the city; then she phoned Lucien to arrange a meeting.  Ona didn't need to read the bible to know that her actions had been a form of deception.  She’d deceived her brothers and that explained her troubled state.

When Rachel contemplated the facts, she felt like the middleman because if it had not been for her, Lucien Delors would never have known about Ona’s problem.  She was to blame, but her intentions had been admirable.  She’d watched, and every time Ona and Lucien shared the same space, an explosion of sorts would erupt, and neither would acknowledge the attraction.  She justified her actions based on what she’d witnessed, then she spoke, saying what she believed Ona needed to hear.

"I can go with you...if you'd like.”  Rachel waited, faking a calm demure and she’d not counted on her coworkers response.

"Or I will."  Sahara chimed in, and her unsolicited remark was a confirmation of Rachel's suspicions.  For months, Rachel had noticed Sahara’s unusual fascination.  In point of fact; if Sahara wasn’t talking about music, her conversations would concern Ona Zelle.  She’d become obsessed--and not in a normal healthy way.  In spite of this knowledge, Rachel had chosen to avoid this uncomfortable topic.  In fact...Rachel had purposely
ignored the idea that her roommate had a crush on their friend.  But, now she knew that avoiding the obvious had been an enormous mistake.  

Rachel said...

"Sahara...we shouldn't be pushy.  If Ona wants someone to go with her, then we should let her make that choice for herself."

Ona wanted to ask them both to go, but she couldn't bring herself to form the words.  For months now, she had tried not to have feelings for Lucien, and she had lied to herself, pretending that her emotions were rooted in admiration.  But last night when she called him, confirming that she would meet him at the end of the day; she hung up the phone seeped in an over consuming knowledge.  She wanted this meeting; and she wanted to meet with him alone.