Deep 6-9 - 7. Chapter 7

“Shamus called this morning to check on the three of us. We FaceTimed almost right away. I worried someone would be there with him, but he wouldn’t be the kind to FaceTime me if he did. He got tears when he saw the boys. He made promises to ‘try’ to come see us someday.” Jake couldn’t say it without a tear rolling down his cheeks.

Marcus reached over the table to hold Jake’s hand. Marcus wanted to see the boys now that they are planning to take them to Alabama in a few days. In the meantime he invited Jake to lunch. “My brother has never been very good at relationships, you’re the longest he’d ever had, and the best, by far I’ll add. I can say he is very dedicated to his work. He places it in the highest importance. Of course he loves you and the boys, and he definitely wants your well-beings. The work he does will help millions of people for decades, if not centuries, to come. The military calls that collateral damage. Sometimes you have to sacrifice your most valuable assets to be able to win in the end.” Marcus gave Jake’s hand a soft and soothing rub and an extra squeeze before continuing. “You are so blessed in your life, not just two of the most beautiful boys, but hundreds of people who adore you, most of them my brothers and sisters, but they still count.” Jake couldn’t keep from laughing out loud. “In my heart, call it sibling intuition, I know he thinks of you and is at peace knowing the difference he has made in your life. I know, Because, I see it too. The evidence is all around you. Even without you having him here, he is with you always. Does any of this help?”

Jake stood from the table, he knew he was about to start actual crying, but he didn’t know what to do. Marcus had shot up seeing the coming breakdown unfolding and wondering if he said something wrong. But, Jake moved fast around the table and buried his face in Marcus’s chest. He just wrapped his arms around Jake, rubbing his back. He kissed the top of his head. “We are family now, and family sticks together. I expect you to bring the boys here often so they can learn to love this place, and I for one will become a bother to your parents when they realize just how often I am going to be there.” That stopped the tears and made Jake chuckle.

”Are you kidding me? My mom will be calling to tell about all the big upcoming events and insist you be there.” Jake knows his mother well.

The rest of the day is Jake’s time to relax. The boys are being cared for by the Grandpa’s today. ‘I feel better knowing Dr Mark will be there to keep them from doing harm to my boys.’ Jake decided to take the long walk around the island, been a while since the last time he did it.

Out of nowhere, it seemed to Jake, Kent was beside him. “Can I join you?”

”Of course, how are you feeling today?” Jake instinctively started holding Kent’s hand as they walked.

”Better than even I could have imagined. I heard that because of his type of employment here, and being international waters, he’ll be tried in a Military Court. He will have no chance of getting off free. But, I don’t think that’s why I feel good. I think it’s all the love around me.” He held up their clasped hands. “This, this is what is keeping safe and keeping me grounded.”

”Kent, I love you, I have since the day I met you guys at the lockers. And, every single person I know would do anything for you.” Jake brought their hands up again and he kissed the back of Kent’s hand.

”Well, that’s what I want to talk to you about. Kyle wants us to leave the Lady. We love it here, and I want to come back and visit as often as I can. Still, we have more money now than the two of us will ever need. We could find a place to buy, but your momma said she would love to have us in her home. We agreed only if you were okay with it.” Kent actually seemed nervous asking.

Jake shouted, “OKAY? WHAT DO YOU MEAN OKAY? I LOVE IT!” Jake threw his arms around Kent. “Please, say you will.”

”Thank you, I don’t know what I would do without you right now.” Kent choked a bit just saying it.

”Then it’s settled, come on, we have a lot of planning to do!” They began walking with a longer stride and with purpose.

*******
It felt like the entire inhabitants of the Lady Thetis had come out to say goodbye to their own. So many tears, kisses, hand shakes, hugs and gifts. It was almost unbearable to leave them behind. Once they were situated on the helicopter and it was in the air, they could relax knowing their journey home is with loved ones.

Jake looked around to everyone and gave them a funny face, “Have any of you ever heard these boys cry? I mean is that normal, I’ve never heard them actually cry. They whimper and fuss a little, but that’s it.“

Jake’s mother quickly chimed in, “Be careful what you wish for....” Jake had a puzzled look. “What? You were a crier, I mean I loved you but you cried all the time.” Now Jake looked horrified. “Well, it’s true, I even took you to a specialist to make sure we hadn’t hurt your head permanently or something.”

”Oh my God, what are saying?” He was beyond baffled.

”We weren’t very good at trying to get things done and care for a crying baby all the time. We tried everything we could think of. The only time you’d calm down is with your face to our chests, but you can’t do many chores like that. We tried stuffed animals, but you’d get so mad you’d throw yourself off the couch, or the bed, you’d even clunk your head if you were on the floor. If you didn’t look so much like me I’d say we brought the wrong baby home.” She shook her head just thinking about those horrible days.

”Jake’s still a crier. In fact, he’s the one we go to when we need a good cry but can’t get it going. He’ll fix ya.” Kyle said truthfully but with a playful jest.

”I do not, why are you all attacking me, what did I do to you?” He couldn’t stop the tear from running down his cheek. Jake looked at all of them trying so hard to not laugh. “DAMN IT!”

That broke the dam, they joined him in his tears only because they were laughing so hard. Even his own momma was doubled over with laughter. He could clearly see just how much Jeremy loved all the new information. But, most disappointing was his dad, he too was completely unable to hide his tears as he tried to catch his breath. “I’m glad I am good for a laugh.”

Right at that very moment Shane burst out with a hardy cry. All the laughter, all the teasing, came to a screeching halt. Jake brought the crying Shane up to his chest and Shane went right back to sleep. Jake looked around at everyone in complete shock. It was now Jake who burst out with the hardest laugh than he can remember. Every single one of them didn’t think they had it in them to laugh harder than they just had been, but this was a whole new level.

The trip home was a long one, especially with two babies. But, these folks shared in the care needed to keep them happy. Shane hadn’t had another outburst for the rest of the trip. Jake began to think that Shane didn’t like everyone teasing him, but it just didn’t seem reasonable. Sir Melvin had arranged for two limousines to take the group from the airport to the Redbush Estate.

Kyle and Kent were like two giddy school children when the whole journey was over. The twins wanted to see the whole farm so they were getting the tour with Jeremy. “Well, I’m glad Jeremy has someone to play with.” Mr Redbush is a very quiet man, but he can be quite funny when he wants to be.

Temporarily, the twins will share the guest suite. It’s quite comfortable with two large beds and it’s own bathroom. It’s one of the rooms still with the original furnishings when the Plantation home was built. Mrs Redbush explained how many homes like this had been targets rebels to loot and burn. She said there had been another one that was very similar just a mile away that suffered a complete loss. “Luckily for the owners here the rebels were caught and shot before they reached this home.”

Jake settled down with his boys in a crib on each side of his bed. He prayed to the almighty and thanked Him for all of his blessings. Jake, fell fast asleep.

***********
Kent had one of his disturbing dreams. It actually was mild compared to some he’s had. Still, it was enough to keep him from going back to sleep anytime real soon. He decided to start with a glass of water in the kitchen. It actually seemed a great time to explore with the house so quite. The massive windows mostly had the curtains open with the sashes opened letting a breeze flow through the house. Kent could see the original owners using the wide spiral staircase to greet their guests. The Redbush’s have been good stuarts of this home.

As Kent reached the Parlor he imagined people standing around chatting about the signs of the time. Oppression and tyranny, the plight of the slave owners, the world of commerce. In his mind he knew that many people who lived in that time didn’t have the luxury of hinesight. Some were definitely heartless inhuman creatures. Still, he’d heard many accounts of “slave owners” would buy them to assure them a safe and reasonable life. There were many who helped them learn reading and writing. These were hard times for them too. How would they be able to fix the world. The only way they knew to help was to love and care for the people who were forced to be in this land to begin with. Kent’s heart swelled at the thought of having to live in such a time. It made his tears fall, so he prayed for the frightened Africans and the kind hearted souls doing their best not to let these people be tortured.

Kent got to the kitchen and had to search a few cupboards to find a glass, and it took another minute to figure out how tge water dispenser worked on this refrigerator. As he leaned against the large island, he thought of how different the kitchen had to have been so long ago. This room has been updated regularly and it showed in the design that it still kept the feeling of grandeur that matched the rest of the house.

When Kent peaked out the window of the kitchen, he could tell it was a good southern night with the moon very bright. That led him go out to the enormous porch which surrounds the entire house. Gigantic pillars keep the two level porch in tact. They remind Kent of the Parthenon in Greece. As he walked down the long straights he admired the placement of the barns and the gardens. Slightly rolling hills create a barrier between places if relaxation and places of work. It’s all so peaceful and purposeful.

Kent found a porch swing at each corner of the front of the house. He sat in one and found the cushions to be very comfy and the pillows were very inviting as well. This is where he found enough peace to fall into a deep sleep.

”Eh Hem. Eh Hem.” A strange elderly man stood over Kent who is being roused out of his slumber. “Now, I would venture to guess you’d be one of the twins I heard was coming to stay.”

”That’s right, I woke up in the middle of the night and must have fallen asleep out here.” Kent was just getting his wits around him.

”Well, I am George, I’ve been the caretaker of this house ever since I was born. My father was before me. In fact, there’s pretty good evidence my ancestors were the builders who put it together and then continued to care for it for all these years after.” He had such a kind hearted spirit that Kent couldn’t help but to be drawn in by him.

”I love that story, it fits with the whole feel of this place.” That comment was the one that old George likes the most. ‘The feel of the place.’

”Yes Sir, this place has a lot of feel doesn’t it. If you pay attention you’ll see them the way they were, and if you really wanna know them you’ll hear’em too.” George looked at Kent with such a searching glare.

Kent debated if George was talking about what he imagined last night, or was he trying to see if this yankee was crazy. “Well, I certainly imagined what it might have been like when this place was built. I bet it was a strange life.”

”Yes, yes Sir, that it was. You say you imagined some things, were there people in your imagination?”

” Well, yes of course there were the men in their fine suits and the ladies with their large hooped dresses. It was just like what I saw in Gone With The Wind.” Kent felt silly for using that reference.

George thought about that analogy for a moment, “Can you tell me this, when you were imagining these people, were you actually seeing the characters in the movie, maybe even hearing the lines every body knows from the movie?”

”Actually, no, the ladies were very soft spoken, one in particular said she had been teaching reading and writing to the ones they have saved. I felt so much compassion from her. The men were in the den mostly debating the whole nature of selling and buying people. They seemed to mostly agree that it wasn’t right, but they didn’t really have much in the way for answers how to stop it either. I thought it was moving how they described buying them as a way of protecting them from people they knew would torture them.” The whole subject made Kent feel sick to his stomach.

”That would be Mister Jeremiah Brown. He built this Plantation wIth the woman you spoke of. Mrs Julia Brown. These folks were the largest Plantation Owners in the entire state. They had over 10,000 slaves. They also were very against slavery. That made them the kindest slave owners in the whole state. They gave the Africans Saturday to themselves and Sunday to learn and worship in the Christian Religion. Their kindness ensured the respect of the captives they cared for and earned them the most productive farms. Now Sir, you must have had some real tragedy in your life to be that tunes in to see those folks. Yes Sir, they aren’t seen by many.”

Kent wasn’t sure he believed he saw ghosts, but no doubt the story was fascinating. “What happened to them? Did they get destroyed by the war?”

”No Sir, they took a hit like everyone else, but after the emancipation, the Africans mostly stayed with the Browns. Jeremiah gave them a fair wage and gave them their own piece of land as well. You see, other than outside of the Browns property, these people already felt like they were free. That kept this place alive even in hard times.” George smiled lovingly at Kent. “Well Mister, I suspect everyone will be rustling themselves out of bed any minute, I thoroughly enjoyed talking with you. I best be getting to my chores. Maybe you will see more we can talk about another time.”

”My name is Kent, by the way, and I’d love to talk to you again George.” They waved to each other as they went their separate ways.