Salvation (Joseph Seed)

19. Him or Us

It had been a few weeks since Joseph made everything right with Evelyn, since everything went back to normal. Evelyn had been attention church every Sunday, spending most of her time after the sermon speaking with Joseph, she had spoken to John and Jacob a little more, she had spoken to Faith once or twice but she always seemed to be preoccupied with something else. Evelyn had spent some time with Lonny outside of the compound, he even took her into Falls End just to show her around. In other words, things had been going smoothly.

Evelyn's parents had even noticed a change in her behaviour, she had been smiling more and just more happy than usual. The move was tough on her, not that her parents couldn't say that they didn't play a part in that, and she had been happier than ever recently.

However, her parents had noticed a few things that they didn't know how to feel about. Joseph, the Father as he is referred to, has been picking Evelyn up and taking her to church before driving her home afterwards. This happened Sunday and the girl's parents couldn't help but think it was strange.

They supposed that the kind gesture was rather harmless, but then they noticed some other stuff. The pair would always greet each other with friendly hugs. Innocent enough, right? Right. So they let it slide, it's just a hug. Then they started seeing that when Joseph drove Evelyn home, he would let her leave after pressing his forehead to hers or pressing a chaste kiss to her forehead. Her parents found this incredibly weird and inappropriate. They didn't like the look of it at all.

Unfortunately her parents were beginning to suspect that something was going on between Evelyn and Joseph, something far more than the innocent relationship that members of the Project would assume they had.

Her parents had been speaking with Pastor Jerome because he came to the house, when Evelyn was out, to warn them about the Project at Eden's Gate. He told them about how the rest of Hope County saw them, for the lack of a better word he described the church as a cult. He told them that Joseph Seed is a manipulative liar and that the other Seed siblings are just as dangerous. After that they knew that something wasn't right and that they had to talk to Evelyn about it.

So, they had Evelyn sit down on the sofa while they stood in front of her, stern and serious expressions on their faces. Evelyn knew that she was in trouble but she had no idea why.

"Evelyn...we need to talk about your church and that preacher" her father started with a sigh, looking more uncomfortable than her mother, who just looked mad.

"Uh, okay?" Evelyn furrowed her brow, her words sounding more like a question than anything.

"We spoke to Pastor Jerome and he said that Joseph Seed is not to be trusted. He said that the Seeds are dangerous" he told her. Evelyn hadn't expected her parents to speak about the Project like this but Joseph had warned her that there would be slander, that people would lie and tell stories to make them sound like villains. She already knew that Pastor Jerome didn't like the Seeds.

"No, they aren't like that. People don't understand them but they don't mean anyone any harm. Joseph is a good man, we can trust him" Evelyn attempted to assure her parents, she trusted Joseph and his family.

"Well, yeah, that's what he wants you to believe" her father sighed, scratching his forehead.

"Wait...why do you believe Pastor Jerome over Joseph? Why do you take his word over mine?" Evelyn asked. She didn't understand why her parents would take the word of somebody they just met over her and the people that she trusted. Did they just have that little faith in her?

"Evelyn, we aren't trying to argue with you, we just need to talk to you" her father tried so explain but Evelyn couldn't help but feel a little attacked. "We don't like the way that you and Joseph have been acting around each other" he told her, which only confused the girl more.

"We just need to know if there is anything going on between you and Joseph Seed" her mother stated abruptly, clearing thinking that her father was taking too much time to address the concern.

"What? No, there isn't anything going on between me and Joseph. That's...that's crazy" Evelyn shook her head as she stood up from the sofa, tired of being looked down upon. Her parents looked between each other, something was obviously bothering her. She was hiding something, they knew that, and they figured that it was something to do with Joseph.

"I honestly thought that this church would be good for you, I thought it was helping you, but now I see that history is just repeating it's self. When will you learn that you need to start acting like an adult?" her mother asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I haven't done anything. I've been going to church every week like you wanted" Evelyn reminded them. This is what they wanted. She only met Joseph because her parents insisted that she found a church in order to find 'salvation', whatever they meant by that.

"Yes, you've gone to church and seduced the damn preacher" her mother scoffed, her comment even causing her husband to give her a surprised and disapproving expression.

"Seduced the preacher? I haven't seduced anyone! Who even talks like that?" Evelyn asked, her eyes wide in surprise, her voice bordering in shouting.

"Don't raise your voice to me" her mother warned her strictly.

"Mom...there is nothing between me and Joseph. There are so many reasons why there isn't anything going on between us" she tried to assure her mother, lowering her voice again, trying to cause as little trouble as possible.

"We aren't blind, Evelyn" Mrs Monroe rolled her eyes at her daughter.

"Joseph is just being nice, I swear" Evelyn tried to convince her parents but they obviously weren't buying it.

"You're naive" her mother shook her head, not knowing whether she could really blame her daughter for this or not.

"But-" Evelyn tried to speak but wasn't given the chance.

"No, just listen. We just don't want you to go back to the church" her father told her, not exactly giving her any choice.

"I can't do that. I'm a member of the Project now, I want to be there" Evelyn shook her head, she wasn't just going to leave the Project when it was beginning to mean so much to her.

"Evelyn, you're being immature. You either never return to that church or you can leave this house. We will not have our daughter messing around with a preacher, more than twice her age" her mother told her, giving her an ultimatum.

"I'm not even-" Evelyn started but knew that they wouldn't believe her, they didn't want to listen to her. "Dad, are you just going to let her do this?" she asked, looking to her father, hoping that he would defuse the situation.

"I'm sorry, Evelyn, it's for the best" her father sighed, knowing that his daughter needed to learn and that his wife wasn't going to change her mind on this.

"I can't believe this" Evelyn muttered, this was insane.

"You can come back when you get your head on straight" her mother informed her as she took hold of her daughter's upper arm and pulled her towards the front door.

Evelyn was completely speechless, the whole thing seemed surreal, maybe this was all some strange nightmare?

Mrs Monroe pushed her daughter out of the front door before slamming it closed and locking it from the inside.

Did her parents really want to make her homeless? Of course not, they wanted to scare her into do as they said. Could it have been handled better? Definitely.

There Evelyn was, left on the doorstep with tears in here eyes and nowhere to go...