The Drive: My Pain, Your Stain

Chapter 14: Our New Addition

The months came and went and this trip seemed to be endless. The family was well on their way to go get their 'newest' family member, Sabrina from Jackson's mom and dad. A grueling two hours but also filled with laughter, sightseeing and conversations to make your ears pop. Shelby is seating in her upright car seat as she looks out the cracked window with her glo-worm in tow. Jackson, all too well knows these roads like the back of his hands and makes it known as he swerves the corners with his car with ease. Jackson soon sees that faithful old brook coming up next to his parents' house once again. Jeremiah and Esther are walking down the steps to greet them. Jackson looks up at the house to see his daughter, all tall and stringy with her hair flowing in the air. A bright smile combs over his face as he sees how tall she had gotten. At that moment, he was a prouder papa to see her as he ever was. Debra got out of the car and smiled toward Sabrina and waved.

She saw her creep back into the door of the house. Jeremiah quickly says to Debra, "Please do not mind, 'Haven' she is like that with everyone at first, she is very shy for her age." Debra nods and goes to the other side of the car to get Shelby. Esther greets Debra and little Shelby with open arms and welcomes them to their home. They walk up into the bridge of the house and Debra peers in slightly noticing all the carved wood against the walls as it looks to be very inviting and comforting at the same time. "Oh, I forgot," Jackson says as he walks back to the car with a bouquet of daisies. "Here, mother," as he gives them to her. Esther smiles at her son and smells the flowers he had given to her. "You are so thoughtful," she says to him. Jackson smiled at her pleasant words his mother is often has given him on numerous occasion.

"Come, sit, and eat at our table," Jeremiah said to everyone. The table was filled with many fruits and vegetables that which the harvest had given them. Esther pipes up, "and let us not forget Jackson's favorite; my homemade bologna." "Oh, mother, you are the best, I sure have missed that," Jackson beaming at the food in front of them. Jeremiah sat at the head of the table and Esther on the other side as Jackson, Debra, Sabrina and Shelby filled the sides as well. Jeremiah bowed his head and said a thank you prayer. The get together started off by Jeremiah asking Jackson and Debra questions about themselves and Shelby. He often looked at 'Haven' with a stare to see if she would ask them also some questions but not a 'peep' rose out of her. After supper, Jackson and his dad went outside into the evening air. While the ladies went off into the pasture for a bit to gather their thoughts and the children can get to know each other for a bit, too.

Jeremiah takes his hands and holds onto the straps of his overalls and continues to talk to Jackson on how they are doing and see how he feels about 'Haven.' "Her name is Sabrina, Father, not 'Haven,' Jackson says. Jeremiah stops and looks at his son and says, "She will be that name when she leaves my home until then she is 'our, Haven.' "Do you know that Uncle Zeb came by a few times but has not come since the last time he was here?" Jeremiah said. "No, I did not, and why did something happen to him," asks Jackson. "He was talking to Haven at one moment and all of sudden his eye got really big and left quite quickly," he goes on to say. "As you do know Uncle Zeb always has words to speak on but since then he will not come by to speak to us nor speak to her." Jeremiah said. "As strange as that is we have been left alone for the most part of the year by our own community and not even the elders will speak to us." Again Jeremiah said. Jackson asks, "Do you know what was said?" Jeremiah replies, "No, not at all but maybe you can go speak to him and find out for me because it is all too strange for Zeb to not speak to me in the first place."

"Well it is a good thing we were to stay here for the night or I would not be able to find out about Uncle Zeb and the situation," says Jackson. Jeremiah says as he looks up toward the sky, "it is getting late and I am sure the women have gotten the girls to sleep and your mother should have some warm milk to drink as well for us." As the men enter the room Debra goes to Jackson asks to speak to him 'in private.' He nods as they enter outward in the cool, crisp air of the night sky. Debra immediately asks, "Is everything okay, love, you were gone for quite a moment and I was getting worried when I went to talk to you earlier?" Jackson begins to tell her of what the concern was with his Father and he told her that; "he will do as he is asked of him." Debra with all smiles and tells him, "We are to sleep where you used too." Jackson smiles at the notion of sleeping once again in 'his loft.' He holds her tight and whispers into her ear, "And to no nookie; I must abode to you dear, Mrs. Ober-Hein, there will be none of that." As he looks to his wife and gives her the raised eyebrow look, Debra giggles as they head back into the house.