Ring in Mine #3: Nephi and Jerome: Chapter 22
Chapter 22 begins a new chapter in the lives of our little family.
If we grow through adversity. Nephi and Jerome are giants, but will they need their strength. (yes)
Time Line: We are in April/May. What all of you are dreading is in February.
Remember that Nifty Archives is not in the business of making money. The opposite is true. If you can, please click on the link and donate. If you check the list you should find my name.
Thank you, Zach for your editing skills.
--------- Nephi & Jerome: Chapter 22
Nephi sat in confused silence staring at his lawyer. What was he supposed to say? What was he supposed to do?
"According to your neighbor across the street a white car stopped in front of your house. The dome light turned on. The passenger dressed in dark colors got out. Two balls of flame flew toward your windows." Nephi was still overwhelmed. Why would someone torch his house?
"The neighbor turned her yard lights on. One more flaming bottle flew toward Marie's but fell short. Seeing the flames, she called the fire department. The local fire station was already dealing with another case of arson at the park. The fire crew arrived finding your house engulfed in flames. Marie's will need landscaping and cosmetic repairs."
"There is a locked fireproof file cabinet/safe in the office I will need access to as soon as possible." Nephi requested.
"I will check on that for you." The lawyer paused again. "I know this is a lot to absorb, but the police want you to answer a few questions.
The lawyer drove Nephi to the police station. They wanted more than a statement. The officer wasn't too pleased Nephi had his lawyer with him.
"Who owns the houses that burned to the ground?" The officer asked.
Nephi identified himself as the co-owner of the one destroyed and Marie as the owner of the other.
"Is it true your company purchased an extensive amount of new equipment last summer? You must have a lot of debt."
"No sir. Last summer was a good year. My business partner's grandmother invested in the company. It's been tight this winter but we always pay up front." Nephi countered
"Where were you and your lover last night?"
The lawyer stepped in at that point. "My client and his business partner were in a cabin up in the canyon."
"Very convenient. I'm assuming there is no one to corroborate your story?"
"It was a family party. It didn't end until after midnight. We had a forest ranger, four respected businessmen and a lawyer from the district attorney's office."
Nephi's lawyer didn't wait for the next question. "They have received death threats since Christmas. The police and the DA's office are investigating. I suggest you look there instead of at my clients. Charge him or we are leaving."
The lawyer stayed to deal with the police. Nephi found himself on the steps of the police station feeling like a lost child. Nephi wasn't sure where to go or what to do. He hadn't grabbed his wallet or keys. Nephi walked aimlessly. He needed time to think. An hour later found him at the door to Bertram's Bakery.
"What can I get for you?" An unfamiliar clerk stood behind a case that just looking in would make you gain weight. "Is Bertram in?"
"No. It's a busy morning. Do you want to order something?" The brash woman demanded.
"Sorry, I don't have my wallet with me." Nephi looked forlorn.
"Then will you step aside. There are customers that have their wallets behind you." She looked around Nephi and took the order of the lady behind him in line. "Can you believe the nerve of some homeless people?"
Nephi stepped into the restroom. He looked into the mirror. With his wild hair, wrinkled t-shirt and unwashed pants, he looked the part of a homeless person.
There was a stone bench in front of the shop. Nephi sat there not sure what to do next. What was he going to tell Paula and Marie? How was he going to tell Jerome and Jerry?
"Bella, go out there and tell the homeless guy to move on. He's bothering the customers." The clerk shouted.
Bella was about twenty-two and looked more like her Uncle Bertram than her mother at the counter. She looked the part of a baker with the floured apron and a dusting of flour in her hair.
Bella stepped outside the shop. "Nephi, what are you doing out here?"
"I left my wallet at home and didn't want to make a scene." Nephi answered. "I'm not sure what to do or where to go."
Bella took his hand and led him into the shop past the counter and found a quiet spot for him in the back. She brought him a coke and a sandwich. "You look awful?"
"Bella you can't have him back there. Get rid of him, NOW!"
"Mother dearest, that is one of Bertram's favorite nephews and an employee. Nephi will always have a place here." Bella found she tired of her mother quickly. The bakery was Bella's second home. Her mother had forced her way into helping again this morning.
"Oh, he's one of those nephews."
"Yes, he's the one that makes sure the parking lot is clear of snow and the landscaping is perfect. He makes a better sandwich than you do and the customers like him. If you don't like him, you can leave." Bella crossed her fingers hoping. Her mother left.
She offered Nephi a comb and his apron and put him to work. It kept his mind busy and let him postpone having to face the reality of the morning.
The lunch rush had just calmed down when Bertram entered the bakery from the back.
"How long has he been here? We've been searching all over town for him." Bertram asked. Nephi was too busy making a turkey sandwich with sprouts and artichoke hearts to hear.
"He's been here about three hours. Mom stormed out when I told her he was one of those nephews. He handles the front better than mom ever could." Bella answered.
"Has he talked about what happened?" Bertram asked.
Bella shook her head. "He's talked orders and food with the customers that's about it."
"Someone firebombed his house last night." Bertram explained.
"How can he be out there making sandwiches? There are so many things he should be doing." Bella asked.
"He's overloaded and confused. I've called for reinforcements. We need to keep him busy." Bertram slipped into the office unseen. Nephi needed to be doing something productive.
"I'll take two turkey and avocado on ciabatta. We will take it to go." Nephi looked up into Margaret's eyes.
"Bertram needs my help." Nephi stammered.
"Thank you for your help but I have things under control." Bertram came out of the back and hugged his nephew.
Nephi insisted on making Margaret's sandwich. She took Nephi in hand. He slid into her car and lost it.
"Why? What am I supposed to do?" He cried. Margaret let him cry until he fell asleep in exhaustion.
Nephi woke up about two miles from the cabin. He looked over the edge at the steep drop off to the creek below. It was one of the few areas that had ugly guardrails. He hadn't noticed the missing section. His breathing became erratic. The air around him grew heavy. He had to get out of the car. He needed to be to be anywhere but there.
"Nephi, close your eyes. Breathe in. Hold it. Breathe out." Nephi followed Margaret's instructions and slowly regained control.
"Nephi, you are still young. You have family here to help. Benny called Paula. They will stay in Florida for a while." Margaret handed Nephi a credit card. "You will need money to replace clothes and necessities. This has two thousand dollars on it to get started."
"How do I tell them?"
"You don't tell them. Luke has taken care of that. They will look to you for leadership. For now, enjoy your week at the cabin. Benny has invited your family to stay with him. Marco has also extended an invitation." Margaret outlined Nephi's short-term options.
Getting out of the car Nephi wrapped his arms around his Aunt / therapist. "Thank you."
Nephi stood at the door still hesitant to step into the responsibilities waiting for him. A snowball hit him in the back. He turned. "Who threw that?"
Jerry wasn't good at hiding. The giggle was another giveaway. Nephi turned back to the cabin. Another snowball got him. He chased after his little one. Jerry was giggling non-stop. Nephi rounded the corner of the cabin into a flurry of snowballs.
"I tricked you Daddy Nephi!" Jerry was having a lot of fun. Nephi realized he was also having a good time. Margaret had been right. No one was hurt; houses could be rebuilt. He could put off worrying for a while; there were no decisions that needed to be made right now. His family was here for him; he needed to be here for them. It was time to let the more seasoned adults deal with things.
Nephi returned fire. He always seemed to miss Jerry; the others weren't so lucky.
"You can't get me Daddy Nephi." Jerry taunted. Nephi braved the barrage of flying snow and captured the smallest attacker. Nephi threw Jerry into the air and caught him laughing. Jerry flew only a few inches beyond Nephi's hands. Jerry squealed like he had been thrown feet into the air.
"Do it again Daddy." Jerry demanded. Nephi added a little height to Jerry's trajectory much to the young man's delight. After the third flight Jerry's sequel changed.
"Daddy Nephi, I've got to go pee!" Nephi carried Jerry to the deck and set him down. The young man hurried inside. Nephi followed his boy into the house; he knew how hard it could be to get out of cold weather gear, when you need to go. Nephi was only steps behind Jerry but still arrived too late.
"Daddy Nephi, I peed." Jerry's tears were flowing. Nephi pulled Jerry to his chest.
"Can you keep a secret?" Nephi sat his son on his lap not caring about any leakage. Jerry nodded. "When I am plowing snow, I can't always make it to the toilet either." Nephi looked around the room; they were alone. "Sometimes I even wear a grown-up diaper."
Nephi held his finger to his lips. "Remember this is our secret. Shall we trick them?" Nephi shared his plans with Jerry.
"It's hot tub time!" A naked boy shouted as he streaked to the tub. A naked daddy was only steps behind. Jerome looked at Nephi quizzically. Nephi put his finger to his lips ending any discussion of the abrupt change of plans.
Jared and Drake headed out on the snowmobile. Jerome would join his men in the hot tub. He appeared at the backdoor naked and carrying a box of ice cream bars. Jerry thought eating ice cream in the hot tub was the bestest. Occasionally a drop of melted ice cream became lost in the bubbles. "Daddy, I'm dripping."
"A little cream in the hot tub won't hurt anybody." Jerome said without laughing, think of all the `cream' that had been left in the bubbling waters.
Jerry climbed out of the hot tub and counted the remaining ice cream bars in the box. "There are three ice creams left. One for daddy, one for Daddy Nephi and one for me." Jerry passed out the remaining treats.
"What about Uncle Jared and Uncle Drake?" Jerome asked.
"They can get their own ice cream." Jerry announced.
When the boys returned to the cabin, Jerome and Jerry were building with Legos on the floors.
"Daddy burned dinner." Jerry announced. "Daddy Nephi is getting pizza from Uncle Marco."
"Are you sure Nephi will be okay. He's already flaked out once today?" Drake asked. He and Jared had been talking while out on the snowmobile. "What's keeping him from doing it again?"
Without a word Jerome bundled Jerry into his now dry cold weather gear and the pair headed out into the growing gloom.
"I think Jerome is more than a little angry and hurt. When he gets quiet like that is when you need to be nervous." Jared explained
Jerome and his little boy walked hand in hand down the road. The day's sunniness had finished melting the snow from the asphalt with the sun gone it froze into black ice. Why couldn't they see Nephi's strength. Jerome knew if he was in Nephi's place he would be in a corner crying.
"Daddy, it's getting dark." The fear in Jerry's voice woke Jerome from his thoughts. He pulled a big flashlight from his pocket. He flipped the toggle and a strong beam of light lit the way. Jerome handed the flashlight to Jerry. Like all kids with a flashlight the dark became a world of discovery.
Jerry was getting cold. Jerome turned around and headed back towards the cabin.
Nephi opened the door juggling three pizzas. "Dinner's ready." Two boys beelined for the table. "Where is Jerome and Jerry?"
"I think Jerome and Jerry went to meet you."
Nephi turned leaving Drake and Jared. He drove with the window open shouting Jerome's name. The spot light mounted on the truck pierced into the woods. Nephi drove to the mouth of the canyon. He took a minute at the convenience store to call Benny. Nephi feared he had lost his soulmate and his son. Overwhelmed he sat in his truck, head in his hands.
"Father, please help me find Jerome and Jerry. I need my family; just as I need You. Amen"
He turned around and searched the other side of the road back towards the cabin. He was only two miles away from the cabin when Nephi saw something that seemed out of place, a piece of fabric caught on the edge of the guardrail. Nephi slipped. The snow had melted leaving a thin sheet of black ice.
Looking over the edge with his handheld spotlight he found Jerome wrapped around Jerry about ten feet down the steep slope. A pair of trees had stopped Jerome from falling the additional thirty feet to the stony creek bed below.
"Jerome!"
"Daddy, I dropped my flashlight." Jerry lamented. There on the bottom of the slope was the while beam of light.
"Nephi, I can't get up."
"Thank you, Father, for helping me find my family. Now what should I do?"
Nephi could have sworn he smelled Peter's aftershave. He heard the faint echo of a siren coming up the canyon. The flashing red lights of the paramedics found Nephi pointing down at his partner and son.
Getting Jerry up to the road was easy. It was more difficult rescuing Jerome. Jerome was strapped to a back board and loaded into the ambulance. A second police car arrived as they were putting Jerome into the ambulance. Benny wasn't far behind.
Chief Thompson stood next to Nephi. "I can take you to the hospital."
Chief Thompson had left his lights flashing. Jerry enjoyed the ride in the police car more than Nephi. Benny promised to find out what had happened at the cabin.