A Tent Becomes a Home

Chapter 85

A Tent Becomes a Home

Mom was always unpredictable; I don’t think she realized what kind of planning it takes to go camping for a long period of time, an overnighter sure. Not to mention the complications of plans already in motions like Shane’s plans that needed to be done before going into the mission field. Let’s not forget, the food we were going too needed for all our meals every day. It was going to take an actual plan. 

All I can say is thank God someone was thinking with their head and not rushing off into the wilds with nothing but your bare hands. Granted I could do it and been trained to survive on the streets from time to time. While I packed and waited for Shane to come back I made a quick call using my own phone pressing number 3 for Bishop Earl.

I wasn’t sure if it was his house phone or the church phone in his Office. After a couple of rings, someone answered and it wasn’t him it was his wife. When she asked you who was speaking I said my name she gasped the first words were “Eric, or in trouble? Is your door locked?” I had to grin knowing she was mother bear protecting her young. Like Aaron, I was one of her cubs she shouted. “Vic get in here now Eric’s in trouble, Eric we will be there in five minutes don’t you move,” and quickly hung up the phone. I dialed 3 again, but this time getting no answer.

I cursed yelling. “Mom,” got no answer and quickly ran out of my room only to bump into my father. I don’t know who was more surprised me or him. The moment he realized it was me he quickly backed away from me like a freighted mouse; ordering me to get out of his way reaching for his belt to threat me. It was like a slow dance as we both turned around in the hallway facing each other as we both backed away. He called me immoral savage and quickly slammed his bedroom door closed.

I blinked think it was a dream seeing my own father cower before me. You would think it would have made me all warm and fuzzy inside, but it didn’t. Even though all of us boys were wearing shorts and still wearing or shoes and socks as well a light shirt. My father still felt we were indecent and immoral just because our legs and arms were uncovered. By the time I had searched the rest of the house and yelled down the basement for Mom. Mom quickly made a dash towards the house from the shed thinking I was in trouble when she saw I wasn’t she sighed with relief. Until the front door banged wide open with Bishop Earl and his wife ready to kill whoever was harming me with Officer Kenly and Officer Knox with batons in both their hands. I wanted to laugh, but I had a feeling that they wouldn’t think it was a joke. I quickly said “Hey guys, I am safe, no one needs killing today. “

Everyone eyed my father growling “I swear I didn’t touch that immoral freak but please get him out of my house before he kills me.”

I hadn’t even known he was there until he said it. Quickly backed way and nearly ran back to his room. I felt lucky that I didn’t have to contend with my sisters today as well as all the crap that was going on. Mom had given them permission to stay at friend’s house, most likely to keep them out of earshot of us after hearing what had happened to Jody.

I personally could understand that I wouldn’t want that nightmare, playing over and over in my mind either. I had asked my foster Dad if I could visit her and them in the hospital, he said it was more important that I stayed where I was and promised him that I would take care of my brothers. Besides there was little I could do or anyone until Jody was calm enough to see family or anyone at the moment.

The way he said it bothered me and I really, really wanted to kill Danny and his two friends. Who had so far hadn’t been caught and were on the run, Officer Kenly promised me and Shane that they will be found and punished for their crimes. The only way that was going to happen as if Shane and I cut off their balls and feed them to them.  If I could drive I would have hopped into the car and done just that. Even though how angry I was it was a good thing that I didn’t have a drivers license or I would have been sent to jail for manslaughter as I bathed in their blood.

By the time I had everyone calmed down Shane had called back stating they had caught the other boy moments ago and were in the process of interrogating him to disclose who the other boy was. That he needed to stay where he was so he and Dad could identify them, but as soon as he was done he would join us. In some ways, it was a good thing considering we still needed lots of things to figure out, yet we needed Shane here because it concerned him as well. I quickly hung up the phone and relayed the message to everyone at the kitchen table.

Bishop and Officer Kenly were working on the details regarding Shane’s to do list while Mom and the Bishops wife was planning the menus and creating a shopping list of all the things we were all going to need. My father would come in and out of the room as if he was pacing, would ask why we were still here? Bishop Earl said he was more than welcome to join us or better yet give up his house for our guest.

My fathered growled. “You could all go to hell before I let such filth in my house and around my daughters. Who’s to say these immoral no good perverts are not responsible for raping their own sister’s or their mother. The way they are dressed right now should tell you that they are unclean and should be in prison for exposing themselves in public and family incest. Yet here they are flaunting their bodies in front of us showing us that they are willing to rape even murder their own family members and get away with it. 

"Too long I have sat by letting it happen. So the answer is No, I want you all out of my house by the time I come back.” My father said as he slammed the front door. Mom stating most like he had gone down to lock up the church house noticing the clock reading it was 5 Pm something he always does when there is nothing planned going on down there.

Bishop Earl said it didn’t matter invited us to his house and the boys could set up the one tent we had in his large backyard until Shane arrived with the rest of their camping gear. Stating it would not be good to drive up the canyon in the dark and besides by the time they got all the food and supplies they need, it would be better if they spent the weekend in their backyard. Mom sat there folding and unfolding the check. I could see it was burning a hole in her pocket as they would say. Mom loved shopping as much as any girl or mother, except Mom, felt she had an endless supply of money. She hated budgets if it wasn’t for Bishop Earl taking over their finances they would have been in the poor house long ago.

By the time my father was back, we had moved to leave the house all to him and my sisters with a guard out front parked across the street watching every move they made. I had no doubt my father was angry; I would have been if someone was watching me. Hell, I knew what he was going through and consider him lucky that he didn’t have a camera on him watching you day and night. After seeing several prison shows I had a feeling that Shawn had it soft compared to home, all I could say was don’t drop the soap. Well in his case he would mostly enjoy that. Great another image I needed to get out of my head.

It was nearly nine when Shane found us and he didn’t look happy about it. When I asked he said let’s talk about it inside as if the dark shadows had followed him here.  When he took a seat he cried that his life was falling apart that his mission has been put on hold because Bishop Crawford refuses to ordain him an elder or give him a temple recommend. Without those, he wouldn’t be allowed into the MTC and or serve his mission. Bishop Earl quickly held Shane in his arms letting him cry telling him if he had to move a mountain that he would do so before he let that vile man do his evil.

By the time Shane had a hot shower and hot meal Bishop Earl had made several phone calls. Asked Shane if it mattered what church house or which Bishop performed the ordinances that he needed. Shane said, “but your not my Bishop, Bishop Crawford is my Bishop and I would need my stake president even to override him.”

Bishop Earl put his hand on Shane’s shoulders stating. “Nothing is impossible son, trust me on that. It just means we take small bites at a time until the apple is done.”

By Saturday afternoon Bishop Earl had Shane’s records transferred to his ward as his temporary Bishop, giving him the right to perform all the ordinances needed to become an elder and being temple ready as he enters the MTC. If it wasn’t for Officer Kenly and the State Police launching an investigation regarding Bishop Crawford involvement regarding the rape of Jody and other crimes he is committing. Shane Stake President wouldn’t have been so forthcoming and because he had been kept in the dark until now. He was like a raving lunatic when he heard what had been going on in his ward.

Yet for the moment the proof was kinda thin but was enough to order a full investigation on a state level as well as a church investigation. To say Bishop Crawford was angry when he found out that his hands had been tied and was no longer allowed to perform certain duties as Bishop until proven guilty or innocent of all crimes was like watching monkey getting mad jumping up and down in his cage for taking away his big banana; even more so putting Brother Sakes in charge of running the ward until further notices as acting Bishop.

Acting Bishop Sakes had no problem letting Bishop Earl handle it and would be present for the ordination Sunday afternoon. Even though Shane only needed two signatures to get a recommend he would have four by the time he needed to go to the temple on Tuesday afternoon to take out his endowments for the very first time; with two Bishops and two stake presidents no one could hold Shane back. When he and his parents heard the news they cried over the phone, repeating it back to everyone in the room. It was just what they needed having Jody hear that his brother was still going and it wasn’t her fault. She cried for joy.

Blame is the first thing when it comes to any abuses when it happens, I should know I still blame myself for my parents abusing me and still blame myself for Jeff’s death. It's hard not to, when all you see it happening over and over in your mind, it doesn’t matter how many years it had been done, you still blame yourself. It tore everyone up learning that Jody would most like never be able to have children. She would need months if not years of therapy.

Sure Danny had been caught and one of his friends the fact he was still in the same hospital didn’t sit well with any of us. It didn’t help knowing he was in so much pain that they had to keep him sedated. You would think that would make any of us all warm and fuzzy inside, but it didn’t. I had no doubt that Dad blamed himself for letting that piece of garbage into the house and anywhere near our family. Yes, blame is a powerful thing to live with.

With everything going on the decision was made to remain camped here, here we had a place to stay with plenty of food and roof over our heads in spite we slept outdoors in tents. In some way’s it was a good thing because all it did was rain that entire weekend; which meant we all would have been miserable sitting inside our tents watching the rain. Instead, we were inside and dry and rented movies and ate lots of popcorn and played board games as we waited by the phone for any word regarding the other boy that so far hasn’t been caught.

We had also learned that Bishop Crawford after hearing the news was busy partitioning the courts to arrest me and Shane as well all the Rothwell’s. For taking the law into our own hands and other crimes that filled half a page. When State Police came knocking at the door later that Monday afternoon telling us we had all been served and were to appear in court in two weeks. Even though Shane would be at the MTC by then he would still have to be present. It didn’t matter that we were all innocent of any of the crimes listed. We still had to prove our innocents before a court judge.

All Mom had to do was call my caseworker to verify that I was here during the time the crimes were being committed. Shane had receipts of all his purchases of that day that showed the date and the time. Like in most stores there were cameras filming you while you were in the store to prove to shoplift. It would take that long to get copies of the tapes showing Shane, Mom, and Dad shopping during the time the rape had happened.

Shane also had a witness that stated he was in a friend’s house calling the police to alert them of said crime and would pull phone records to verify that he wasn’t involved. All Shane said was. “It looks like we're going to need a good lawyer.”

Bishop Earl knew none of us was made of money and all Shane’s Money was tied up for his mission. Being I was a ward of the state I would be assigned one, my caseworker said she makes a couple of phone calls for me, but she said she had just the person in mind and he owed her a favor or two. By Monday night Shane and I had a good lawyer both doing pro-bono work and Dad was in the process of finding one for him and the rest of the family.

Dad had one surprises for all of us when he showed up at church that Sunday afternoon with Jody as he wheeled her in a wheelchair. She looked like hell warmed over, but once she saw Shane and I and her brother's faces she seemed to beam with radiance. She groaned when we all hugged her trying very hard not to show the pain or the bruises that covered her body. Dad said she refused to stay in the hospital when her brother was ordaining an Elder and wanted to be a part of that.

Mom said the doctor said it would do her some good, and released her for the day. It would be sometime before she would be ready to go home, but for now, she would stay with Kerry when they release her from the hospital. Shane asked any word of the other boy. Dad shook his head said no, but they now know who it is. The boy they caught squealed like a pig giving him up. When they went to bring him in no one was home. The house and everything was deserted, nothing but an empty shell. They have put up pictures taken for the school yearbook and plastered them in every bus station, airport and at the borders of the state. “Will find him son, when we do he’ll never see daylight again.”