A Simple Plan Part 1

Chapter 203

A Simple Plan

Part 1

There is nothing simple about my plans or my life. It was what it is, which is complicated? It has always been this way. Don’t ask me why then again I question isn’t everyone’s life just as complicated in their own way? I wasn’t exactly sure the reason why my life was complicated because it had to do with the things I was involved in likes the satanic church, our how things were with my father and even how my mother was. I, however, knew there wasn’t a lot I could do about it either. Because everything started with a simple plan or the fact my plans always changed like a revolving door.

All I did know was I trusted my father's word when he says he was going to make my life and my mother’s life even more complicated. I didn’t have to worry about angering the monster inside of him because he was always angry. So I trusted in the fact one way or another he was going to do his best to make his threats come true. He didn’t care what it took he was going to act on those threats until somebody listened. Knowing the squeaky wheel is the one that gets heard.

It all started simple enough when we woke early as we hurried with a quick breakfast, eggs toast and beacon and frozen orange juice; which was a typical morning breakfast for a typical Sunday morning. Jennie put a fairly large pot roast in the oven and put it on low about 325 degrees and let it cook for four hours. To give us plenty of time go to church and come back. I of course with the help of Greg, and Eli peeled entire 15 lb bag of potatoes and diced them up into a pan filled it with water and set into the fridge for mash potatoes.

Not one item came from last nights shopping trip, we weren’t about to use any of my father's food he and my mother bought so he couldn’t say we stole it. I locked and set the alarm in my room and made sure the door was locked just in case my father decided to vandalized my room again. The storage unit hadn’t arrived yet, but would first thing in the morning at the Clark's house.

My mother still asked if he was still unable to give a name to who the new Bishop was going to be. He said. “Yes I can tell you, but I am not going to, not that you could do much about it, considering he has already been ordained and has been for the last two weeks so he could pick his councilors and go over the ward's finances, and problems that he will be addressing after today; starting with you and your husband.”

My mother frowned and said. “Fine, I guess we will find out in few minutes,” and got into the car as we followed Bishop Earl to the gas station. So my mother could stop worrying about it.

She and I walked inside with Bishop Earl as the owner came to the front of the desk. He said. “I like to set up a gas account for Linda Shepherd.” He nodded he knew me on sight considering I had filled many gas cans here over a lifetime for the church and the trailer park. Bishop Earl gave him a crisped 100.00 dollar bill and the owner added my mother's name and drivers licenses to his little black book. He told him that once the money was gone closes the account.

I pumped the gas until the tank was filled again it averaged less than 12 dollars. He gave my mother a receipt and subtracted it from the prepaid money. Telling her every time she came in she needed to show her driver license and keep the receipts and gave her a little book to write down the amount and the day she purchased the gas so she would know how much money she had left in her account.

She said thank you to Bishop Earl and got into the car he leaned over into the car window said. “Don’t thank me yet, because that hundred dollars is the only money you are going to get out of me. That should last you at least a month if not it is no longer my problem, it will be yours. If you are smart you will only touch that gas account only in an emergency, but I know you, Linda, I know for a fact that you will burn through that gas account like wildfire because you have no concept on how to budget.

“The new Bishop is an accountant and knows how to use the money he is given. He will go over every single detail with you and your husband. His only concern will be if you have food on your table and your bills are paid, and how well you budget the money he will give you. You will be required to work out a way to pay it off, there will be no more expecting to get for free as you have been with me. I created this problem because I felt I could help you if given the tools to do so. Susan and Becky will also most likely to have to pitch in after school and on weekends. Until you have paid back what you were given.

“Becky too has proven that she can’t hold on to money or fulfill a simple contract. She refused to work Friday and Saturday she didn’t even really work on Thursday to earn the money we had given her. Yet we paid her in hopes she would make up for it on Friday and Saturday. But she didn’t, and she still expected her brother to pay her anyway; he didn’t do it so she is angry at him. Yet she was the one that broke the contract, not him.

“You taught me something that I will never forget, parents like you are willing to take advantage of anyone including their own kids if they have money and they don’t. You had asked Becky to give you her money and she did you telling her you would pay her back when your husband gets his next check. And you spent it with no intention of paying her back. She earned that money so I paid back your loan to her knowing you wouldn’t.

“Yet she still feels her bother should pay her for the two days she didn’t work and my wife as well. You have taught your daughters that Linda. That money grows on trees and if you complain enough about it they will give it to you just so you would shut up about it. I will give the new Bishop the rest of the money Eric and my wife have agreed to pay her, once she has worked those hours we had agreed upon, but not until then. So she still has a chance to earn it.

“I have let it go on far too long. I did it so you could go to school and learn a trade to get a job to help support your family. Yet your spending habits have only gotten worst. If I was still your Bishop; I would call you into my office and we start again and this time I would be doing exactly what you’re new Bishop going to do. Take away your checkbook; close all your accounts so you can’t have access to it only to put money in and give you a strict allowance every two weeks until all your debts are paid. I am sorry you find me cruel, but you left us no choice.

“After church, we will have a nice last meal together and my wife and I will go to Heber and my kids will be staying with Tony and Jenny at Stringum’s house here in Santaquin. So they can say goodbye to their friends here and finish out the term. That way your husband and can have your house back. I wish you luck and my God watch over you.” He pulled himself out of the window and went to his car and we followed him like sheep.

My mother was angry but silent. Which meant anything could happen. She asked me if I had any idea who the new Bishop was. I said, "not a clue.”

she said. “Yea right? You wouldn’t tell me if you even knew.”

I shook my head and said. “I promised that I wouldn’t Mom. You know I keep my promises.”

She growled.” Yes, I know, not that it makes hell a lot of difference who its going to be as long isn’t that Clark family or Johnson or even the Smiths.” I smiled inside because I happened to know it could be one of the three. I just wasn’t exactly sure which one.

My father sat in front of us as my mother squeezed in letting my father have the aisle seat which was new to me because he usually sits in the very back with my sisters. My father acted like everything was fine at home when it wasn’t. Susan sat next to him and Becky next her as Aaron sat on the end with my mother in between Aaron and Becky.

I watched as they put on a fake smile as my mother stood to introduce me and my wife Rhoda and she didn’t mention that I was also married to Eli but instead stead said I was his best friend. Jennie sat behind me with her kids as Bishop Earl’s family sat across from me in the long middle rows, while their parents made their way to the podium seats with the rest of his councilor who I really didn’t know and their wives with other members I didn’t know as the stake presidency took the seats where the Bishop usually sits.

Which stated today was special meeting as rumors were making it around the room that Bishop Earl was moving to Heber and that wards were being divided in preparation of moving into the new church house on the north side of town, Which was big news because it would be the second LDS church building in Santaquin at that time.

I explained to Eli and the girls how everything work, having them both state how clean it was and how bright it was compared to a satanic church service. They had already noticed first off that we didn’t wear robes or the fact we didn’t walk through a metal detector nor were searched at the door. The fact the there were more people here then they had ever seen going to church was overwhelming, hearing them opening the Gym curtains to fit everyone in which was one of the reasons why we here so early so we could get a good seat.

I quickly informed Eli that in most cases the chairs didn’t go all the way back into the gym like they were today, but because today was special meeting where they all four wards meeting today for sacrament meeting, at least according to the flyer that that girls were giving out the other day to announce this special meeting.

I wasn’t sure how on the rest of today’s schedule, other than the fact we would be here awhile and promised them a tour of the building. Well, everything except the basement. I wasn’t willing to go down there. I would leave that up to Greg and Chad, I, however, will remain topside. It took everything I had as it was to sit here with my ghost and even more so with my father so close by. He didn’t bother to introduce me or my friends he just ignored me, and I was good with that.

I had driven out the Downing’s homestead which wasn’t there anymore seeing it had been wiped off the face of the map and replaced with houses. I didn’t look the same and it made me miss them even more. Knowing the life I could have had. Then again the one I had wasn’t all bad either, but I had to work at it all the same. Like everything else, life went on and it was the same today, but very few people here knew what awaited for us in Heber and my father he hoped that we would all get killed for it. You could say he actually prayed for it.

The music stopped as I handed Eli and the girls a program, I even showed them the songbook that everyone would be using. They were familiar with how we pray thanks to my adoptive parents and the Earls, noting that it didn’t exist in my mother’s house, only when Bishop Earl was over for dinner. He didn’t pray as often as my adoptive family did which they were trying to get back into. In hopes of that, it would help strengthen our family. The stake president stood after the first song going over ward business.

My father grumbled get on with it already. Then growled under his breath when I and my three friends were told to come up so everyone could see us. I knew it was going to happen; we would be giving any speeches, but only a few words. To give why I married Eli, which was always a question. I would give the standard line that it was an old family custom of his and his parents, rather than mention anything regarding the satanic church.

I quickly stated that and returned to my seats my father growled. “You had to do it didn’t you boy? You had to embarrass me and tell the world that you are immoral freaks?” He only said it low enough that very few heard him other than knowing he was angry about it.

I whispered back. “Get over it, there is nothing you can do about it. If you noticed they didn’t use your last name they used my Rothwell name… the name I married under, not yours.” He was about to beat me, but he quickly realized he couldn’t, not with everyone looking at us.

My father turned his attention towards the speaker as Bishop Earl and his family was told to stand, the moment they heard he was being released several people started to cry and the ones in the back said yell ‘the best news we have heard so far.’ 

My father smiled “See I am not the only one that thinks he was a bad Bishop.”

Susan said. “I know Dad, now be quiet I want to hear who is replacing him.” But the news didn’t come instead everyone up on the stand was being released who were all bishops and councilors, and were told they would be given a chance to bear their testimony. My father and mother gasped when they saw every one of the bishops that were being replaced all at the same time. Even I was a little shock and so were Greg and his family. The catcalls were only getting worst having to stop as people invited them to leave.

My mother whispered. “See Jim that’s something you don’t see every day.”

He said. “I know Linda; it only takes one to ruin the sack,” referring to all the Bishops, not the people that hated them.

Telling us there would be no adult Sunday school or priesthood meeting. That we would meet in here for those meetings. Starting with my mother's ward and the new combined wards would meet afterward so they can all have a chance to ask and answer questions without worrying about their young children getting restless, but they would go into that into that right after Sacrament.

Eli asked where we would be going I said. “We could stay here if you would like or go too class?”

Greg said as he moved over as to our side and said. “How about we go to class and skip all this boring stuff that means nothing to us.” He had a point because this wasn’t my ward it was my mother's ward. I would be only visiting every once and while. We agreed and my fathered whispered for us to shut the hell up. Causing heads to turn, he turned and told them to mind their own damn business and using his favorite swear words causing them to gasp. I did mention my father was a cruel man?

After the sacrament, the Stake President conducted the meeting and called the following to stand.  My father grew even more anger when the two of the Bishop that had been released were recalled to serve as bishop of the two new wards. He got even angrier when his new Bishop was being called to the stand that happened to be Mr. Clark and his two councilors Smith and Johnson. The very people my parents hated with a passion. My father was so angry he got up and left the chapel, I didn’t know why they hated them. Bishop Earl smiled like he had all the best cream.

After they were called they were invited onto the stand so everyone could get a good look at their new Bishops and councilors and their wives. The old ones would be speaking first after they quickly went over the new boundaries as Deacons and Teachers passed out the new map of the boundaries, with what church my mother would be in and the time schedule as well as telling her which bishop and counselor were in charge of each ward.

My mother grumbled as she noticed without a doubt that Bishop Clark and his two councilors Smith and Johnson was over her ward. She rubbed her face with her hands and wanted to bawl. Then it dawned on her that she would be having the late schedule 1 to 4 the worst was the 2 to 5 until the new building was ready, but in any case, she would be going here.

I was bored to tears as I listened to each of them stand and say their farewells and bore their testimony. It didn’t take a genius to know that they had written them beforehand, and the fact they all basically said the same thing. Eli said. “Now I know I don’t want to sit here and listen to this for the next two hours.” He was more than happy to leave only to be brought back as we were told that we would be meeting with the priests and the Elders who were staying in the chapel. Yet Bishop Earl saved us stating we could all go home because we had nothing to do with the rest the boring details.

My mother was more than happy to get the hell out of there; as we took the side door, only having to stop so I could reintroduce Eli and my wives. Having to repeat that yes we were married showing them our rings and it wasn’t against the law to be married at 16 with parent or guardians permission. And Yes Eli and I were really married to each other and no we were not gay.

My mother left without us so Greg and I could give them a quick tour of the building because they had never been in LDS church house, but we waited until the meeting started and the younger kids were all in class. I waited outside on the lawn where the Bishop Earls office was, while Greg showed them church Boiler room. Eli and the girls sounded quite angry as I heard my father screaming at them to get the hell out of there or he was locking them in.

Bishop Earl yelled back. “They only want to see where you and your wife kidnapped your sons and nearly beat them to death.”

My father said. “All lies, he ran away and took his brother with him.”

I came around the corner and faced him and said. “Eli did find the place were I scrawled my name and the days I was down there?” My father gasped that I could have done that any time I was home.

I smiled. “I have the pictures to prove it.” 

My father gasped and I nodded Eli said. “I have seen them, everyone here has seen them.”

Bishop Earl said. “Why do you think Jim I send police officers to check on you when you’re here sleeping inside the church house? It’s a standard rule that the building is searched including the basement to make sure you never pull that stunt ever again.”

My father reached for his belt and took it off and was about to beat me and my friends; but the noise attracted people, and father quickly stuffed his belt into his pocket cutting his hand on the sharp belt buckle, he said in a low growl. “This isn’t over boy; I will kill you and all your immoral friends.” He fled the scene and went back into the church house yelling at people to get out of his way.