Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.
Psalm 7:14
Standing in front of the sink trying to refrain from crying, Pearl’s thoughts sank to a day only two months earlier. A group of students from the school where Pearl’s children attended and where Pearl taught were performing at a state convention for safe and drug free youth. Pearl took pride in the work of her students and children and was especially anxious about this year’s performance because two of her own kids were participating. They worked hard all year and the time had come to put on a great show for the community. Of course, her parents would not miss this show either as they were the model grandparents. They arrived with Maddie who had come to watch her younger cousins dance, sing, and play on stage.
The show began and Pearl looked over at Maddie and smiled. Maddie turned and said, “I sure wish my parents would have done stuff like this with me when I was in school.”
“Well, now you can enjoy it with the other kids,” Pearl answered; trying not to give in to what she really wanted to say about Maddie’s parents. She wanted to say, “Well, if they could for one minute pull their heads out of that insanity of theirs…” but she refrained and encouraged Maddie to have a good time. Maddie sat back and watched and enjoyed the show, but Pearl noticed something odd about her behavior. She nudged her mom and asked if Maddie was all right.
“Her father has been sending really strange text messages to her all day. Some of them have been downright hateful and others just plain crazy. She is pretty upset, and your father is beside himself.”
After the show, the students begged to go out and eat, and invited Pearl’s parents and Maddie to join them. Pearl of course conceded, and they all piled into the bus and headed for Applebee’s. Maddie and her grandparents followed behind the bus. When they arrived at the restaurant, the students, Maddie, Pearl, and her parents walked in and requested seating for twelve. The hostess put a few small tables together to accommodate the request and seated the large party.
As the noise level grew, Maddie’s face turned from complete enjoyment to almost a panic stricken terror. She reached down and looked at the screen of her cell phone and rolled her eyes. She shut the phone and tried to re-enter the conversation and the fun, but again, her phone notified her of another incoming message. She reached down again, this time nudging her grandmother and saying, “I can’t believe that jerk.”
Her grandmother took the phone and put her glasses on in order to read the messages. She looked at the phone, and her face too changed. She had a look of disdain as she handed the phone to her husband with an outstretched arm and said, “Here: Read this.”
He took the phone from her while Pearl entertained stories at the other end of the table in order to keep the students from noticing what was happening. A moment later, Peal’s father closed the phone and stood with a tear in his eye; then walked outside and stood in the parking lot. “Where’d your dad go Ms. Mackinac?” a student asked quickly.
“Oh, he gets hot really easily, and he thought it was a bit stuffy in here. He’ll be back in a minute. Don’t worry.”
Their waitress came to take their orders. They quickly ordered and gave the waitress a hard time. Then one of the students started to tell about an adventure she had on her family’s vacation last summer. While all of the students were enthralled with the story, Pearl’s curiosity exploded. What on earth had her brother sent that sent her father out of the restaurant with tears? Was her father angry or hurt? Pearl tapped Maddie under the table and asked to see the message. Maddie slowly handed the phone to Pearl and asked, “Are you sure you want to see this? It’s bad Pearl, really.”
Pearl took the phone and held it slightly under the table then read, “Your Aunt Pearl is keeping secrets from you. You all think she is so good and wonderful, but she’s a liar and a whore, and you are just like her.” Pearl closed the phone and dropped her head. She put her hand over her heart and took a deep breath, then looked at Maddie and said, “He will be sorry for that some day, but until then what on earth can we do?” Just then Pearl’s father walked back into the restaurant, and Pearl stood to excuse herself to the restroom. As she passed her father’s chair, she patted him on the back and said, “Let it go Dad. I love you, and he is a sick sick man.”
His big green eyes fell and he stared into his tea glass shaking his head. Pearl’s oldest son had been watching what was going on between Pearl and her family members, and he suddenly burst out with “Okay, what’s the difference between a typewriter and a penguin? Anyone, anyone…” The students all looked puzzled and Maddie and Pearl and Pearl’s parents all started laughing. The students all tried to guess while Drew kept them entertained. His brother picked up on it right away and joined him in the nonsense joke. Every time someone made a connection, Drew and Tom made some strange look and said, “No, now it’s not that difficult, just think.”
Pearl squeezed Drew’s hand under the table as if to say thank you. Then looked at Tom and winked. Their food arrived and they all ate quickly then loaded the bus, the car, and left. As the bus bumped and chugged to the school, Pearl sat in wonder and hurt. How could he say that? Poor mom and dad. All they ever did was love their kids, and all Sonny has ever done is violate and defile what love is. God, please be with my father right now. Please put your arms around him and tell him that I love him and reassure that those words are horrid lies and from a sick minded man. Please help the readers or hearers of Sonny’s illness to recognize that those words and thoughts are from an evil like no other. It wasn’t long before the bus pulled into the school parking lot, and Pearl and all of the students exited the bus and parted ways.
Still standing at Gwenn’s kitchen sink, she cried softly and remembered what she thought was the catalyst of the events that brought her to this house the previous night. She knew it was time to let the truth be known. She knew it was going to hurt. But more than anything, she knew she did the right thing. She took a deep breath and heard a voice from the other room. Pearl, Gwenn, Maddie where are you? We’re here. Hello…” Pearl’s mother entered the kitchen, quickly approached her, and put her arms around her. Her father walked up and joined the circle.
They embraced for a few moments before Pearl stepped back and said, “Maddie and Joy are in the back yard. Maddie has been waiting for you guys. You had better go see her.” They nodded and walked to the door. As they exited, Pearl’s father turned and said, “You okay?”
“I’m okay dad. I guess. It’s just all so surreal really. Go on though. Maddie needs her Papa.” She half smiled then added, “I love you dad.”
“He put his head down and nodded as if to agree, “I love you too.”
As Pearl’s parents passed through the doorway and into the back yard, the telephone rang.
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