XII

“Are you sure you don’t mind staying another night?” Brock asked Destiny.

“It’s too late to drive back,” Destiny replied with a shrug. “But I would prefer staying in a motel.”

“It’s just one more night, Dee. You were okay last night.”

“I know, but this funeral home is beyond creepy. Plus I noticed two more dead bodies arrived today.”

“Now Dee, I know you don’t believe in ghosts,” Brock soothed as Destiny stifled a giggle as she thought of her and Charley’s plan to spook the guys. “Any corpse here has no disembodied spirit. It’s just a soulless body. Remember what Bentley’s tombstone says: The shell is here, but the nut is gone.”

“Oh, I’ll be fine,” she said with a stoic smile. “But you really shouldn’t be referring to the corpses here as a shell but the nut’s gone.”

“Point taken,” Brock replied with a chuckle. “I didn’t mean any disrespect. I was just saying.”

Destiny and Brock were walking hand in hand toward their room. They were about to enter when she stopped them and pointed down the dimly lit hall. At the end there was a door that led to the attic. It was open. A female form in a long dirty white gown emerged from a room and quickly disappeared onto the attic stairwell like a phantom. She had long dirty blonde hair flowing behind her.

“Did you see that?” Destiny exclaimed, fighting hard not to giggle. Then she tugged on Brock’s arm and headed toward the staircase. “Come on, Brock.”

“Dee, wait,” he said pulling her back and stifling his own chuckle. “What are you doing?”

“I want to find out who or what that was,” she said.

“What?” he frowned. “A minute ago you were afraid to go to our bedroom. Now you want to explore the attic?”

“I guess I’m getting used to the place,” she shrugged. “I mean, think about it. Have you ever heard of somebody being killed by a ghost?”

“Are you saying you actually do believe in ghosts?”

“Of course not,” she chuckled uneasily. “But obviously something strange is going on and I want to get to the bottom of it.”

“Hey guys,” Charley said as she approached the opposite direction from the attic.

A chill ran up Brock’s spine as his head swiveled from Charley to the attic door.

“Hey,” Destiny replied.

“You left your phone in the kitchen, Dee, and I think you just got a call,” Charley said.

“Oh, thank you,” Destiny said as she took her phone and looked at the missed call. “It’s Aunt Belle. I better see why she called.”

Destiny hit send on her phone and walked into their room. Charley turned to leave, but Brock grabbed her arm.

“Say Charley,” he said quietly. “Are there any women here besides you and Dee?”

“No,” she replied shaking her head.

“Are you sure?” he asked as the hair on the back of his neck prickled.

“Sure, I’m sure,” she frowned. “Why?”

“Dee and I saw a womanly figure with long blonde hair almost seem to float from that last room into the attic. I thought it was you wearing a wig. You know, the little prank we were playing on Dee.”

“It wasn’t me,” Charley said, shaking her head.

“Who was it?”

“I don’t know,” Charley replied as she shook her head nonchalantly. “But I’ve seen her numerous times myself. She seems harmless.”

“What is it?”

“A ghost, I suppose,” she replied with a shrug.

“Get out!”

“Okay,” she shrugged again and turned to leave.

“Wait,” he said grabbing her arm. “What do you mean a ghost? There’s no such thing as ghosts.”

“I don’t know,” she said. “All I know is I’ve seen the apparition of a female form from time to time ever since we’ve lived here. But she’s quiet, leaves us alone and, like I said, she seems to be harmless.”

“Get out!”

“Okay,” she replied and turned to leave.

“Wait,” he said grabbing her arm again. “What does Six think about it? How come he never mentioned it to me?”

“He’s never seen her,” she said. “He doesn’t seem to believe me, so I stopped telling him about her. I’m waiting for him to see her one day for himself, but she doesn’t seem to want to reveal herself to him.”

A buzzer sounded from the oven downstairs.

“I have to get a pie out of the oven, dear,” she said touching his arm. “Don’t worry, though, she won’t hurt you.”

Brock glanced at the attic door with a frown. He marched down the hall and stuck his head into the stairwell. He flipped a switch and a dim yellow light barely illuminated the steep incline to the attic. He climbed the stairs and found another switch. Two bulbs with even less wattage than the one in the stairs popped to life.

He gazed around and saw nothing but boxes and old furniture. The blonde haired woman was nowhere to be seen. However, there were several shadowy nooks to hide in. He walked through the attic but still saw nothing. Where could she have gone? He simply didn’t believe in ghosts, but could something demonic being be messing with them? He put his hand on an old rocking chair and it squeaked as he rocked it a couple of times. He went back to their room. Destiny wasn’t there. He went downstairs in search of her.

“Hey Charley,” he said as he entered the kitchen and looked around. “Is Dee with you?”

She shook her head. “I haven’t seen Dee since I gave her back her phone upstairs.”

“Where could she be?” he mumbled as apprehension began to grow.

Suddenly, a blood curdling scream came from somewhere above them. Six, Seven and Brock almost collided as the three of them hurtled toward the stairs. A second scream sounded from somewhere up in the attic. Brock thought it sounded like Destiny. As Brock, Six, and Seven pounded up the stairs, it sounded like a loud, offbeat drumroll.

A chill ran up Brock’s spine when he saw Destiny sitting in the old rocking chair he had rocked only minutes ago. Her face was completely white, and her lips looked black. She was wrapped in a scarlet colored shawl. Brock slowly approached her with Six and Seven flanked behind him. She didn’t even seem aware of their presence. She just stared blankly, as is she had been drugged.

“Dee,” Brock said softly as his mind reeled with concern and confusion. She ignored him and continued to gaze in a trance.

“Destiny,” he tried again as he knelt and put a hand on her knee.

Ever so slowly her head turned toward him. It looked like she had some type of thick white makeup on her face and glossy black lipstick sloppily applied around her mouth. Brock was now beyond freaked out!

“Dee, what’s going on?” he asked as his hand eased toward her face.

She screamed as a three foot snake as big around as a baseball seemed to spring into the air from her stomach as she flung open her shawl. The three guys fell back, all of them shrieking with terror. Charley stumbled into the attic holding her stomach and dropping to one knee as she laughed uncontrollably. Destiny also clutched her gut as she fell out of the rocker and onto the floor laughing. The blonde haired apparition they saw earlier came out of the shadows. Only she wasn’t a ghost, she was a friend of Charley’s, and she too was laughing hysterically.

“So that was a prank?” Brock asked with a baffled expression as the three guys looked around, dazed.

“We got you guys so good,” Charley said as she wiped at her eyes.

“You traitor,” Six said with a smirk as he scowled at his wife.

Brock looked at Destiny, who was curled into a fetal position due to extreme laughter. He crawled toward her, pinned her, and attacked her ticklish spot.

“Brock, stop, don’t!” she half laughed and half whined as he continued to tickle her. “Brock, stop, please. Come on, be a good sport.”

He let her up. She wrapped her arms around his neck and started kissing his cheeks, or so he thought. She was actually smearing her black lipstick and white face paint onto his face.

“Dee, stop it,” he chuckled as he moved away from her giggling face.

The glossy black lipstick and the white face paint was smeared all over her lovely, happy face. Her silky blonde hair was tousled. She looked like Harley Quinn. Ironically, when Dirk was delirious in the hospital two years ago, he asked if Destiny and Brock were from the suicide squad. She being Harley Quinn with her uncanny resemblance to the actress Margot Robbie, and him being the Joker because of the curved scar from the left side of his mouth.

 Instead of looking sinister and diabolical, Destiny somehow pulled off adorable, albeit messy. She was so cute with her girlish giddiness at pulling off a major prank on the guys. There was no way Brock could be irritated at having the tables turned on Six and himself. He couldn’t resist his beautiful wife. He pulled her into himself and in seconds they were kissing passionately. They weren’t even mindful of an audience. Until the spectators spoke.

“You two need to get a room,” Seven Sallie said, causing Brock and Destiny to break their lip lock.

“They have a room,” Charley replied with a giggle.

“They probably should go to it,” Six chuckled.

“Sorry,” Destiny said, feeling embarrassed at their display of affection.

“For what, frightening an innocent man?” Seven Sallie asked. “I wasn’t part of or didn’t even know about any pranks. But I do need a change of undergarment now.”

“Oh please,” Charley grinned at Seven with hands on her hips. “Like you wouldn’t have been in on scaring poor Dee if you had a chance.”

“You bet I would have,” Seven Sallie said matter of fact. “The point is, I wasn’t.”

“Man, I tell you what,” Six Sallie said, shaking his head and grinning. “That was borderline taking things too far.”

“I think they did take things too far,” Brock said mildly. “I mean, here I was concerned about my sweet wife’s welfare. She was sitting in that rocker looking like she had a mental breakdown or some such. Then when I kneel to check on her, she screams, right when a snake type creature springs out of her stomach. No question that was cruel. Now we’ll probably have nightmares.”

“I haven’t seen the old snake in a can trick since I was a kid,” Seven Sallie said.

“Imagine your face being inches from it when it exploded forth,” Brock said and then made his lower lip quiver, causing laughter to erupt from everyone. “I was frightened.”

“Well, what about me?” Destiny whined playfully. “You knew I was already uneasy about spending the night in a funeral home. A gothic funeral home no less. And then you try to lead me to believe it’s haunted.”

“Shoot, I just wanted to spook you a little,” Brock said, shrugging and jamming his hands into his pockets. “Plus, I was there to protect you.”

“Good thing none of us has a heart condition,” Six Sallie said.

“I think I do now,” Seven replied.

“Would a piece of warm cherry pie console you three fraidy cats?” Charley asked.

“Yes,” the three men sang in harmony.

A half hour later Destiny and Brock stood side by side at a bathroom mirror and removed white make up and back lipstick from their faces.

“Well, this trip went as well as could be expected,” Destiny said. “Don’t you think?”

“Other than having the daylights scared out of me, I suppose so.”

Destiny chuckled maliciously and Brock tickled her. “Stop it!”

He stopped. “Will you mind having Seven stay with us for a while?”

“No,” Destiny sighed. “But I’m going to mentally prepare for difficulties and trials of patience.”

“Good idea, and me too,” Brock added.

“Were you surprised he so readily agreed to come to Iowa?”

“Not really. His greatest danger from serious death threats is right here in the Twin Cities. So it only makes sense to lay low some where else if possible. Plus he said he can do his podcast from anywhere, and his producer and what not can do their job staying right here. Now what was a surprise is that he wants to go over the Bible with me.”

“I know, that surprised me too. It seems he especially wants to study about hell.”

“I don’t know that he wants to study,” Brock replied. “I think he wants to prove me wrong.”

“It’s still a good thing, don’t ya think?”

“It’s a step in the right direction. Especially if I’m actually supposed to be some sort of spiritual mentor to him. But I don’t feel qualified.”

“Maybe not, but the Holy Spirit is.”

“Yeah, as long as my human nature doesn’t get in the way,” Brock said and then sighed. “You were the one asking him about becoming an evangelist. You heard him say how he was some type of youth pastor and how he took classes on preaching the Bible. Regardless of having a change of heart or back sliding, or what ever you want to call it, the man does have a lot of experience and Biblical knowledge.”

“But you have the truth.”

“True.”

“I was disappointed he wouldn’t say what exactly his wife did, and what exactly the third and most humiliating strike was with her.”

“All three were adultery,” Brock replied. “That’s all we need to know. If we even need that. Beyond that is just gossip fodder.”

“No, I had no intention to gossip with anyone. I just want to understand a vital ingredient that makes him so complex. Makes him who he is.”

“I guess it all depends on how bad you want to know.”

“What do you mean?”

“If you want him to share his dirt with you. You have to share your dirt with him.”

Destiny winced and scrunched up her nose as if something smelled bad.

---

XI

Destiny felt the dread begin to leave her after she prayed for strength and the wisdom. She opened her mouth to speak, but another voice sounded before hers.

“Well, look at this, two best friends chatting away,” Brock said as he scratched his head, yawned and made his way to the coffee pot. After Brock poured a cup, he glanced at his cousin. “Why do you look like the cat that swallowed the canary and my wife looks like somebody relieved themselves in her Cheerios? Have you been telling her about all the fights you’ve gotten me into?”

“No, I’ve been telling her about the loves of my life,” Seven Sallie said. “Who also happen to be the greatest heart aches of my life.”

Brock kissed his wife on top of her head and sat down. Seven jokingly asked where his kiss was. Brock quickly rose up, grabbed the sides of his cousin’s head and kissed his forehead.

“What the!” Seven gasped and then squirmed so much he fell out of his chair.

Destiny laughed so hard she almost fell out of her chair. Brock calmly sat down, took a sip of coffee and smiled at his stunned cousin. “Do you want a good night kiss, too?”

“No, I’m good,” Seven Sallie said cautiously, as if Brock might barrage him with more kisses. “For the rest of my life.”

“Okay, well, your loss,” Brock said as he took another sip of coffee.

Destiny watched her husband’s large bicep push the sleeve of his t-shirt toward his shoulder. Part of what made what she was witnessing so funny is Brock being a muscle head and Seven being so squirrely. She was also delighted to see such lightheartedness with someone her husband supposedly didn’t like.

“You’ve changed man,” Seven Sallie said.

“How’s that?” Brock replied.

“For one thing, I don’t ever recall you being a jokester.”

“Who’s joking,” Brock said, kissed the air at him and then chuckled.

Seven leaned back in his chair, folded his arms and gazed at his cousin with a puzzled expression. “You were always one of the most melancholy people I have ever known. Now you seem…you seem to be…”

“Joyful,” Destiny said

Brock nodded. “You see, Seven, I’ve got that joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.”

Brock waved a hand at Destiny, and she responded. “Where?”

“Down in my heart.”

“Where?”

“Down in my heart.” Then Destiny and Brock sang together. “I’ve got that, joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart. Down in my heart to stay. Cause I’m so happy, so very happy, I’ve got the love of Jesus in my heart…”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Six Sallie said as he stood at the foot of the stairs with his wife.

“Sorry,” Destiny said. “Did we wake you guys?”

“No, no,” Charley said. “I had planned on setting my alarm for 5:30 to make breakfast for everyone and forgot. I’m the one that’s sorry. You all must be starving.”

“Oh no, we’re fine,” Destiny said as she waved a dismissive hand. “We’ve just been talking and drinking coffee.”

“By the way, this is really good coffee,” Brock said enthusiastically. “What kind is it?”

“You don’t want to know,” Six Sallie said. “It’s Seven’s.”

“It’s called Death Wish,” Seven Sallie said.

“Huh?” Brock frowned. “Why Death Wish?”

“Cause it’s highly caffeinated,” Seven Sallie said.

“Dangerously caffeinated,” Six Sallie said. “If you have a weak heart, you could end up a client of mine.”

“Oh my,” Destiny giggled. “You better not finish that cup, Honey. You’re used to half café.”

“Coffee with half the caffeine?” Seven asked. “Is that before or after a half dozen Red Bull or Monsters?”

“Nope, I don’t drink energy drinks anymore. I replaced them with sparking water.”

“Alright, where’s the real Brock?” Six demanded with a smirk.

“Should we sing again, Dee?” Brock asked.

“No, don’t sing again,” Seven Sallie said disgustedly. “Right before you came down, Destiny was going to share her testimony with me. Now, you can to. Who wants to go first?”

“In a galaxy far, far away…” Brock started.

“Dee, why don’t you go ahead?” Seven interrupted.

“Well,” Destiny said and then cleared her throat nervously. “When I was eighteen, I was an exotic dancer right here in Minneapolis.”

“Also known as…” Seven Sallie began to say when Brock clutched his arm and squeezed. “Ouch!”

“Shut up and pay attention,” Brock said with a scowl.

“Alright,” Seven nodded. “Now that’s the Brock I remember.”

“Continue my sweet, peachy plum,” Brock said.

“And that’s not,” Seven Sallie said.

“Any who,” Destiny began again. “Brock and I first met when we were working at the same club. He was a bouncer and I was a dancer.”

Seven opened his mouth, and Brock clamped a hand over it and shook his head. “I said shut up and pay attention, got it?”

He then clutched his jaw and caused Seven’s lips to form an exaggerated pucker as he helped him nod.

“So, I happened to live a few blocks from the club,” Destiny explained. “One night, unbeknownst to me, I was followed home. The man broke into my apartment and attempted to rape me at knife point. Brock had become suspicious of the man when I was performing my routine, and he too came to my apartment and rescued me just in time. After that, Brock and I went our separate ways. He went to Miami and I went to Los Angeles, where I continued my dance career and also got into films.”

Brock looked sharply at Seven, who smiled impishly and made a zip gesture across his lips. The corner of Brock’s lip curled into a smile. With the scar that curved up from the other side of his mouth, Seven couldn’t tell if he looked friendly or sinister. He made the zip lip gesture one more time to be sure.

“About a decade later,” Destiny went on. “I found myself out of adult entertainment living in Iowa City, Iowa with my long time girlfriend. She too had been a dancer and actress.”

Brock’s eyes rotated to Seven. He smiled, raised his eyebrows sheepishly, and for a third time did the zip lip gesture. Brock winked at him.

“She ended up breaking up with me, ironically after turning religious,” Destiny said with a sigh. “In the months following, I found myself spiraling down into depression and alcoholism. I ended up suicidal. But before I ended my life, and by the grace of God, I became reunited with my Aunt Belle who happened to live only twenty miles away from me in Cedar Rapids. She ultimately led me to Christ. It was also at her church out in the country west of C.R. that I was reacquainted with Brock. Even though he was serious with another woman at the time, we became good friends.”

“So tell us, big fella,” Seven Sallie said. “Just how did an atheistic thug from the Twin Cities who had been living in sunny Miami come to reside outside of a city that isn’t even the largest in Iowa?”

“Well, little buddy,” Brock said. “Not long before I left the security agency I worked for in Miami, I encountered something pretty ugly with a detail I was on. It led me to ponder what a pathetic, evil world we live in. Obviously, I had known it was a cruel world before this experience. That’s what led me to my belief that there was no God. Other than my brother dying from AIDS, what I experienced on this detail was the ugliest situation I found myself in.”

“So you were in serious danger?” Six asked.

“No, but the billionaire I was guarding was.”

“How could he be in danger, and you not be if you were one of his bodyguards?” Seven asked.

“Because he was in danger of me,” Brock replied icily.

“What was going on?” Six asked.

“If I told you, I’d have to kill you,” Brock said coldly. Everyone began to chuckle, but when Brock just stayed expressionless, the mirth quickly disappeared. “Seriously though, I’m not at liberty to say much. But we were in the Orient, and I had a gut feeling about human trafficking. Just to reiterate, I had a gut feeling, no proof. Nonetheless, it put me into a very dark place. I was contemplating like never before what a diabolical, unjust world we live in. Then a thought so profound, a lightbulb above the head moment, sent me on a spiritual journey. If there wasn’t a God, where did I get these concepts of just and unjust?”

“So I went to a bookstore. I bypassed the section on Christianity. Between child molesting priests, money grubbing televangelists, the secret rapture and the concept of hellfire, I wanted nothing to do with becoming a Christian. So I end up in this section called new age or enlightenment or maybe it was just philosophy. Anyway, there were so many books with so many bizarre titles and concepts I became confused. So I uttered my first prayer since I was a kid. I didn’t even really do it consciously. I just simply whispered, Dear God help me figure this out.”

“No sooner had I said it, when I spontaneously reached for a book titled, ‘Ancient Mysteries Explained.’ I put my finger on it and began to pull it out. It was as thick as an encyclopedia. The book dragged a smaller book out with it and it fell to the floor. I pushed the book I intended on looking at back into place so I could pick up the book that fell and return it to its spot. But the title had caught my eye. It was called ‘A Star Fell From Heaven.’ Then below that it stated the origin of evil explained. Then below that it said the only way of escape given.

“I read the back of the book and perceived it was a form of Christianity. The book had intrigued me until I saw that it was Christian. I marvel now that I seemed to despise Jesus when I didn’t even know Him. Now the living Christ is the center of my being. Anyway, so I figured the book was put in the section I was at by mistake. I grabbed the ancient mysteries book along with ‘A Star Fell From Heaven,’ to let them know it was in the wrong place. When I get to the counter, I happen to notice the cashier was wearing a cross around his neck and he had a WWJD bracelet on his wrist. So I show him the book and told him where I had found it. It was in the right section, he told me with a sarcastic snort. I asked him to explain why. He said it was filled with false teachings. I asked him what was false. He said it not only went against the traditions of mainstream Christianity, it criticized it. Much to his chagrin, I bought it and left the ancient mysteries book with him.”

“When I got home I started reading it and couldn’t put it down. It written by a guy named Kirk Samson. I marveled at how much scripture he used to back up his concepts. He also told his readers they needed to search the Bible and what he was teaching for themselves, to trust no man, examine their own lives and that prayer was the better half of study. After I researched him, I discovered he was a former Army Chaplain and he pastored a church in Iowa. I decided to take a road trip home to the land of ten thousand lakes and visit his church on the way. Another coincidence was Tito’s brother Bentley lived fairly close. I had gotten to know him after he had stayed with us a couple times and he was eager for me to pay him a visit. He invited me to stay with him for as long as I’d like. So I took a road trip north.”

“Please tell me it was summer,” Six Sallie said.

“Close enough,” Brock replied. “So I take Bentley up on his offer and decide to stay with him for a day, maybe two. I loved the area where he lived. Remote country. A lot of woods to the north and west. Corn, bean fields and farms as far as you could see to the south and east over wavy, rolling land . He could tell I loved the peacefulness of it, and that’s when he told me he could use a roommate to help pay expenses. But the old farmhouse he rented was over a hundred years old and it looked like it.”

“Then I went to Pastor Samson’s church. I was really intrigued and fell in love with the place. To make a long story short, a one day visit ended up, what? Three or four years.”

“So, just in a nutshell, what are his concepts?” Seven asked.

“The main theme was the controversary between Christ and Satan. The origin of sin, our fallen world, and then he just explained all these different deceptive factors that have taken place throughout history. How paganism came into the Christian church in the 4^th century when Constantine converted to Christianity. How there was an attempt to change the law of God, which most of Christendom still adheres to yet today. Also the false teaching of a place called hell, which most churches also believe. He also explained the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation and the seconding coming of Christ.”

“Sounds kinds deep, and also a little fishy. For starters, what did you just say about hell?” Seven Sallie asked as he leaned forward and propped his elbows on the table.

“That there is no such place.”

“Where did you or he come up with this stuff?”

“The Bible.”

“The Holy Bible?”

“Right.”

“I hate to have to tell you this Brock, but you’ve been miss guided. Like I was telling your wife before you came down, I was on my way to becoming an evangelist before my wife wrecked our marriage, family and my life. As much as I dislike the idea of hell and eternal torment, I’ve been over the Bible and back. And up and down and sideways. The doctrine of hellfire is a real thing. That’s one of the main reasons why I’ve mostly rejected the so called word of God.”

“I hate to have to tell you this, Seven, but you are the one that has been misguided. I have no doubt you’ve studied the Good Book thoroughly, but you obviously came at it with the wrong approach.”

Seven snorted sarcastically, leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “Your making the point I was getting at. The Bible is so complex and has, what, forty different authors? You can make it say almost whatever you want. That’s why there are a zillion different denominations.”

Brock nodded his head, and smiled patiently. “And you’re making my point. Religion has watered down God’s Word and misapplied it. Traditions and compromises with the secular world throughout the last two thousand years have altered the plain teachings of Christ and His apostles.”

“Who are you?” Seven asked with a dazed expression.

“What do you mean?” Brock asked as he sat back and folded his thick, muscular arms over his chest.

“I have to admit I’m impressed,” Seven Sallie said. “But I want to get a Bible and show you where you are dead wrong about hellfire.”

“Not now boys,” Charley said. “Scrambled eggs and oatmeal are ready. There’s also bagels and juice. Then you guys can go to war.”

“What do you mean go to war?” Seven asked.

“Haven’t most wars started over religion?” she asked.

“We’re just having a civil disagreement,” Brock replied.

“We’ll continue it after breakfast,” Seven Sallie said.

“If I’m going to be your bodyguard,” Brock said using air quotes. “We need to discuss the how, when and where of that before anything else.”

“Seven, I also want you to finish telling me about your marriage and how it affected becoming an evangelist,” Destiny said.

“Before anything else, breakfast!” Charley declared. “Or I’ll whack each and everyone of you with this spatula. Even you Mr. Storm.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Brock said and then meekly bowed his head.

Everybody laughed and then ate.

X

Destiny was surprised at how fresh Seven looked despite how drunk he was the previous night. Especially after passing out and sleeping on a sofa.

“Morning, Destiny,” he mumbled.

“Good morning, Seven,” she responded more cheerily than she felt.

“Want some coffee? Mugs are in the second cupboard from the left.”

“Thanks,” she replied. Then she poured herself a cup of steaming Joe and joined Seven at the kitchen table. “How are you feeling?”

“Huh? Oh, fine, I guess,” he replied. “I wasn’t as drunk as everyone probably thinks. I was mostly tired. I haven’t slept well the last few nights.”

“No worries,” Destiny said with a smile.

They looked at each other for a long awkward moment, and Destiny tried and failed to not be mesmerized by the cute face that resembled her husband’s ruggedly handsome face. What did Brock’s sisters look like if his male cousin looked like a prettier version of her husband?  

“Let me guess,” Seven Sallie said with a laugh. “My cousin didn’t inform you that he and I look more like each other than we do our own siblings?”

“No, he did not,” Destiny said with a lighthearted smile.

“Or that I’m the better looking of the two of us,” Seven Sallie said with a cocky smirk.

“Wow, somebody’s full of themselves,” Destiny replied after a fuse of irritation was lit.

“Just so you know, I would never betray my cousin. So get rid of any ulterior motives you might be harboring about us,” Seven told her as he pointed back and forth between them.

Destiny’s mouth practically dropped to the table. “Where do you get off assuming something like that?”

“Just a couple of deductions,” he said with a shrug. “Before Brock, your sexual preference seemed to be women and I’m a prettier version of your husband and…”

“If I was less civilized, I’d slap your face right now,” Destiny interrupted with a low voice and clenched teeth. “I’ll have you know, I would rather die than be unfaithful to my husband. For another thing, even if I was single, I wouldn’t even consider being with an arrogant pig like you!”

Destiny rose hastily from the table and Seven grabbed her hand. “Destiny, please don’t go, I was just testing you.”

“Let go of me,” Destiny said as she jerked her hand out of his and turned to leave. He grabbed her again and she was just about to do a self defense move Brock had taught her when she froze. A tear was running down his cheek.

“I shouldn’t have behaved like that,” Seven Sallie said. “I have a bad habit of provoking people. It makes for an interesting broadcast or podcast, but it doesn’t win you many friends. Please, sit back down, I need to talk to you.”

“You need to talk to me, huh?” Destiny said as she slowly sat back down and eyed him cautiously. “Need is stronger than want or would like to. Are you sure you don’t want to rephrase it?”

“I don’t. I need to talk to you.”

“Okay, I’ll bite. Why do you need to talk to a woman you barely know and have just insulted?”

“Listen, I’m sincerely sorry,” Seven Sallie said as he hung his head and shook it. Then his eyes rose to hers and the intensity in them made her uneasy. “Before I pick Brock’s brain about his, um, drastic life changes, I would like to hear your version.”

“My version?” Destiny replied with a frown. “You make it sound like something about us isn’t genuine.”

Seven closed his eyes and shook his head. “I don’t mean to. It’s just that ten years ago Brock was an atheist and seemed like a confirmed bachelor. If he ever did marry, I figured it would be someone like that cop chick Nora Medora. Not someone with the baggage of a former stripper and porn star.”

“Okay, well,” Destiny drawled. “That wasn’t at all insulting either.”

“I’m such a mess,” Seven Sallie said as his forehead thunked onto the kitchen table. “I should have pulled the trigger last year and blown my brains out.”

Seven began sobbing. Between that and his words, a chill ran up Destiny’s spine. Was he or is he suicidal? She recalled the night not so long ago when she almost ended her own life. The angst she had been feeling toward Seven disappeared and was replaced with love and sympathy. She reached across the table and took hold of his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Tell me about last year,” she said softly.

He slowly rotated his head back and forth with the crown still on the table indicating no.

“Two and a half years ago I came close to killing myself,” Destiny told him quietly.

His head slowly rose and his face was as distraught as she had ever seen in a person. “What stopped you?”

“I had been drinking heavily to get the courage to take a lethal overdose of pills. Ironically, the strong drink gave me a momentary feeling of wellbeing and I went to bed instead of ending my life. I ended up having a nightmare that I was on a high precipice and I was saved by my Aunt Belle. When I awoke, it caused me to look her up on the internet. I found out she had a ministry that helped girls like me and she only lived twenty miles away from where I was living. Or maybe I should say dying. Anyway, she and I became reacquainted. She couldn’t have been more loving and understanding of my situation. Ultimately, she led me to Christ.

“Wow, so you were saved by the Belle,” Seven Sallie said with fascination.

“Yeah, I guess you could say that,” Destiny chuckled. “But I was really saved by Jesus, who used Belle as His instrument.”

Seven snorted and shook his head skeptically. Then he recalled researching Destiny and remembered the woman he saw in illicit videos and pictures. He thought about the sultry seductress he saw on screen contrasted with the wholesome beauty that sat across from him in his brother’s kitchen. He compared the dark, empty eyes on the computer with the bright, intelligent eyes in front of him that seemed to radiate light. His eyebrows rose in confused contemplation and he nodded ever so slightly.

“So tell me about a year ago,” Destiny gently prodded.

“A year ago yesterday I came this close to killing myself,” he told her as he held his thumb and index finger an eighth of an inch apart, then shrugged and chuckled sarcastically.

“What stopped you last year if you were this close?” Destiny asked as she imitated his thumb and finger gesture.

“You’re gonna think this is weird, but a song came into my head and it actually stopped me.”

“A song?” Destiny asked intrigued.

“Yeah, have you ever heard the band Staind and their song ‘Outside’?”

“Stained? You mean like my knees are grass stained?”

“They are? What have you been doing?” Seven Sallie said with a smirk.

Destiny rolled her eyes, closed them and then sighed heavily.

“I’m sorry,” Seven Sallie said quickly. “I know I’m obnoxious. But can a leopard change his spots?”

“No, but a person can change their character.”

“Point taken, even if I don’t believe it,” Seven Sallie said, as he raised his hands and showed her his palms.

“Okay, continue, what about a song?”

“Yeah, so rage and anger, fear and loathing had me pushing a gun so hard on my temple that it left a red ring when I eventually pulled it away. I was just about to pull the trigger when some words from the song popped into my head. It went like this. ‘I lie here in bed, all alone I can’t mend. But I feel tomorrow will be okay.’ That part in particular. Tomorrow will be okay, began to echo in my head. I lowered the gun from my head and put on the safety.  A week later, a video I had put on YouTube went viral. Not long after that my podcast just snowballed in popularity and I quickly became this polarizing figure.”

“So what led to your despair in the first place?”

“I guess I was just weary of life. Did Brock tell you about my marriage?”

“Unfortunately, Brock has told me very little about his family. As he likes to say, he wants to look forward not backward. I did know you were divorced though.”

“Good ole Brock,” Seven chuckled. “Man of few words. When we were younger it added to his mystique as a tough guy. Last night when he grabbed me and talked into my ear. That was the most he had ever said to me at one time.”

Destiny perked up. “He told me he quoted a verse from the book of Revelation to you and it had a profound meaning.”

“Yes,” Seven Sallie said with wide eyes. “It was weird. And just as weird was him telling me that he came here more as a spiritual mentor than a bodyguard. I mean Brock, a spiritual mentor! I’ve only known him as a professional thug and an atheist.”

“Why did Revelation 10:11 have such significance?”

“Wow, the big question for me is how did Brock know?”

“The Holy Spirit,” Destiny replied without hesitation.

“Yeah,” Seven responded with a skeptical look.

“Once again, what’s the significance of that verse to you?”

“The short answer is that verse called me to be an evangelist. But before I followed the calling, my marriage came to an abrupt end and I ignored the call and, well, the truth is I backslid.”

Destiny stared at him with a gaped mouth. “Okay, what’s the long answer?”

“How much time do you have?”

“Personally, I have all day. I don’t know how much time or even what exactly you and Brock have to discuss,” Destiny told him.

“You and me both. How about for now we do a medium version?”

“Fine by me.”

“Well, let see, where to start…” Seven Sallie said, and then leaned back in his chair with a sigh. “I grew up Catholic. Brock too.”

“Yeah, I know,” Destiny said as she leaned forward in full attention.

“So, I started deejaying at parties when I was sixteen. When I was eighteen, I got a job deejaying at a rock station in Minneapolis. One day I we were broadcasting on location at a Marylin Manson concert. I came across these holy rollers that were protesting his concert. You know, Marylin Manson being a Satanist and all.”

“I didn’t know.”

“You’ve never heard of him?”

“I’ve heard of him. I don’t know anything about him or his music. When I was younger, I was mostly into country and rap.”

“Country and rap, now that’s an interesting combination.”

Destiny shrugged. “Now I’m into gospel, classical and because of Brock, jazz. But please continue. You came across some, um, holy rollers protesting.”

“So amongst the protesters was this cute Mexican girl that went to my high school. Salena Ramirez was her name and we got to talking. We were civil with each other, but got into a major disagreement about her purpose at the concert venue. I said Manson and his fans had a right to do their thing at the arena. She said that she and her church family had a responsibility to protest evil events such as the concert in their community. She and I hit it off in a strange way and I wanted to see her again. She wasn’t allowed to date outside of her faith, so I started going to her church. It was a real conservative fire and brimstone type church.”

“I was uncomfortable with how often the church emphasized people going to hell, but yet they also had a strong mission to warn people about such a doom. I actually liked the old fashioned values they espoused, and I really got into learning about Jesus. Salena and I also fell in love with each other. I quit deejaying, joined her church and was baptized. Giving up deejaying was the hardest thing I ever did. Being a radio personality, albeit small time, made me very popular at school. I could have practically any girl I wanted. But the church had me convinced that all secular music was evil and Jesus was coming back tomorrow. Also, my love for Salena lessened the sacrifice. She was saving herself for marriage, and we planned on getting married right after we graduated from high school.”

“Shouldn’t you say we were saving ourselves for marriage?” Destiny asked, and then pressed her tongue into her cheek.

Seven looked puzzled for a few seconds before continuing. “It was too late for me, but Salena understood.”

“I see.”

“Anyway, in the last few weeks leading up to graduation, Salena had become reserved. I got the feeling she was reconsidering marrying me, and she was. The head elder in the church was this fifty six year old man who was very wealthy. His wife of thirty five years had died six months earlier from breast cancer. She had been unable to get pregnant early in their marriage, so they adopted a boy. He had always wanted a child of his own. Since most of the congregation married young to avoid sin, all of his candidates were young. They only married within the faith you see.  So he put his sights on Salena. Not only because she was so beautiful, but because her family was poor. He offered to not only pay off their house, but buy them a newer nicer home.”

“Salena was torn up inside. When she broke up with me, she said she had prayed and prayed over whether to marry the rich old guy or me. In the end she said she didn’t have a choice. If she married me, we would have to run away because her family would be so angry. She said that even though she loved me deeply, she couldn’t forsake her family’s well being or leave her church. So, a few weeks after we graduated, she married the rich elder. Then on April fool’s day the following spring, Salena gave birth to a baby girl. A child whose grandparents were more than a decade younger than the baby’s father.”

“Do you know if she and the older rich guy are still married?”

“As of about a year ago, yes. Salena is the most loyal person I have ever known. If he lives to be in his hundreds, she will be by his side.”

“What she did to you doesn’t sound very loyal.”

Seven shrugged. “I guess that goes to show how rotten the human condition is. But to be honest, I never viewed what happened between us as disloyal. She never cheated on me. She just informed me of the situation and the decision she  made. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t painful and I wasn’t angry. As a matter of fact, an element of revenge ultimately led me into a horrible marriage.”

“How’s that?” Destiny asked and then tucked a leg up under herself and leaned closer as she propped an elbow under her chin.

“Salena had a cousin that was a year younger than us. They hated each other. Wait, I shouldn’t say that. Brit hated Salena while Salena simply disapproved of Brit’s behavior. So, Salena and I had only been broken up for one day when I found Brit on my doorstep.”

“Is Brit short for Brittney?”

“It is. So, before joining the church and Salena and I becoming an item, I sort of knew Brit. She was the girlfriend of a friend of mine for about a year. Brit wasn’t quite the beauty that Salena was, but she was incredibly sexy. Short skirts, perfectly applied makeup, long auburn hair, sultry eyes and a coy, yet flirtatious demeanor.”

“So she didn’t go to church with you guys, I take it.”

“No, she did. At church she’d be dressed in long skirts or dresses and no makeup. Then you would run into her at a mall or something and she almost looked like a hooker. Let’s see where was I?”

“Brit showed up on your doorstep.”

“Yeah, so Brit shows up and tells me how sorry she is and Salena is a fool, and it’s so gross her marrying a guy three times her age. So I immediately put the moves on Brit and she tells me she’s not that kind of girl. I said you could have fooled me. By the way, I used to be kind of obnoxious?”

“Used to be?” Destiny replied with a giggle.

“Anyway,” Seven began after a shrug. “Brit slaps me. I apologize. Then Brit tells me she’s been going to her friend’s church and it is way better than her family’s. She tells me thy have Christian rock bands that play Sunday evenings, the men don’t wear suits and the women don’t dress like they’re Amish. Yet they had a zeal for the Lord. Brit intrigued me on several levels. Like I said, she was sexy, but I now perceived she wasn’t a slut because she turned down my initial advances. Yet I also knew she wasn’t a virgin because of my friend. I also liked how interested she was in Christianity. And I also thought by hanging out with her for a while might annoy Salena. Brit and I even attended her wedding.”

“You’re kidding!”

“I am not. It was even Brit’s idea. She actually had to talk me into it. I’m telling you, those two cousins did not like each other at all. I was young and naïve. I didn’t realize just how evil Brit was. She hid it with a cloak of religiosity. By the time we had gone to Salena’s wedding, Brit and I had gotten together about a half dozen times. During those times we would kiss, but every time I tried to go further she would make me stop like the good little Baptist girl she was supposed to be. After the wedding though, she was all over me. We had sex for the first and she was beyond passionate. We became an inseparable item and she was insatiable in the sack. I was smitten and I was in love.”

“When we were together about a year, she ended up pregnant. She was devastated. She was only days away from graduating high school and had just turned eighteen a month previous. She wanted to get an abortion. This devastated me. I justified the sin of our premarital sex because we were in love and I intended on marrying her one day. But abortion? I was adamantly prolife back then.”

“Not anymore?”

“I’m all about choice now. Not that abortion isn’t an awful thing. But we shouldn’t dictate or judge what another person does. How about you?”

“I guess you and I are opposites. I was pro abortion most of my life. But since I became a Christian, I’ve taken a different perspective.”

“Well, even though I’m pro choice now, it should have been a red light that a supposedly devout Christian woman was considering abortion when she found herself with an unwanted pregnancy.”

“What’d you do?”

“I tried to talk her out of it. I told her we should get married. She would have none of it. I told her we should talk to the pastor and his wife. We confessed to them that we had been having sex and now found ourselves with child. They both agreed with me that we should get married. I guess with three against one, Brit reluctantly agreed. Now that I’m older and wiser, I think that was a big part of Brit’s infidelity.”

“How so?”

“Well, just like she really got off having sex for the first time after Salena’s wedding. I think when she became resentful at being tied down with a husband and child or she was simply angry with me for making her trapped. She ended up taking solace in other man’s arms, and then some. I forgave her twice, but the third strike she was out. For our daughter’s sake, I probably would have forgiven her a third time, but the way I found out was just too humiliating.”

This surprised Destiny. Seven didn’t seem like the type that would forgive adultery once, let alone twice or even three times. “So she cheated on you three times.”

“I caught her three times. The last year or two we were together, she probably had sex with other men more than me. I’m not exaggerating.”

“You know how you said you are pro choice now?” Destiny asked. “Do you think you would have agreed to an abortion back when Brit became pregnant if you had your current mind set?”

“That’s a complicated question,” Seven Sallie said. “Without knowing the end from the beginning, yes. To be saved all the heart ache of being married to someone like Brit, absolutely. But, Mia, my daughter, is the love of my life. Even though at the moment she can’t stand me. She is the love of my life.”

“How old is she now?

“Fifteen.”

“So would you have gotten an abortion then or not? Your answer was ambiguous.”

“No, I would not have agreed to an abortion. I would go through the whole ordeal with Brit again for the sake of my daughter. Talk about sacrifice. I’m not all bad then, am I?”

“No,” Destiny agreed and then smirked. “Then again Hitler loved dogs.”

“Gee, thanks,” Seven Sallie said with disgust as he rose from the table and sighed. “I need more coffee.”

“Sorry, that was a low blow.”

“Don’t be, I liked it.”

“Now tell me about your call to evangelism,” Destiny said, relishing how easy it was to get Seven to talk.

“Not right now, I’m tired of talking. Now it’s your turn. Tell me what led a girl next door into being a stripper and porn star.”

“There’s not a whole lot to tell. Other than being an extreme exhibitionist, my previous life was pretty boring. You probably know the most dramatic thing that happened to me. It was in the early days in Minneapolis when Brock saved me from being raped and probably murdered.”

Seven leaned back in his chair as his eyes narrowed. “Brock saved you from being raped. How long ago?”

“Eleven or twelve years ago now. You didn’t know about that?”

“No, I thought you and Brock met just a couple years ago in Iowa. You knew each other over a decade ago?”

“Just as acquaintances at a night club we both worked at.”

“All right, your turn, go ahead.”

Destiny took a deep breath and sighed. She now agreed with her husband. She wanted to look forward, not back at her twisted life. She didn’t mind talking about her past when she was ministering to young women who were involved in similar things that she was. Or if she happened to be sharing her testimony to a group. But she had never talked about her past with a man who was most likely a current a customer in her in her former world. He even admitted looking at the evidence of her former life. So she relied on what had become her habit in difficult situations over the last couple years. Prayer.

IX

“Seven,” Six said as he gently, yet firmly slapped his brother’s face and yanked him to a sitting position. Seven groaned and his eyes fluttered.

“Leave me alone,” Seven replied. Then he laid back down on the sofa and was fast asleep.

“Well, I guess we have supper without him,” Six said with a sigh. “I guess you’ll have to discuss your involvement with his death threat situation tomorrow, Brock. Sorry.”

“It’s just as well,” Brock shrugged. “We’re tired, and I didn’t really feel up to it tonight anyway.”

Seven had arrived at his brother’s gothic funeral home well on his way to intoxication. He completed inebriation with a couple healthy swigs from a flask, vomited and passed out. So the foursome had supper and the two ladies listened to the two cousins reminisce. Seven’s drunken behavior as he snored on the sofa was the elephant in the room. This, among other things, left the typically docile Destiny with growing irritation to go along with her increasing tiredness. Her emotions roiled as she and Brock retired to their room after dinner.

First she had seen a ghost like figure. Then she met the ghost like figure and discovered her to be Six Sallie’s wife Charlotte, aka Charley. This led to information that her husband and his cousin were trying to prank her. Then she meets Brock’s other cousin Seven Sallie for the first time and discovers he looks more like her husband’s twin than his own actual twin brother. Seven is also drunk and gives her an awkward, sloppy hug and tackily brings up her former life as an adult entertainer. Then Seven passes out instead of discussing his bodyguard needs over supper, which would seemingly only add more time to their stay in the Twin Cities.

But what had her the most frustrated was her husband. How could she and Brock have had such a close, intimate relationship and yet she knew so little about his family? The only picture she had seen from Brock’s past was his high school senior portrait. This youthful image of Brock had fascinated her. She had gotten to know Brock after his life of violence had marred his handsome face with three separate scars. In addition, a decade in the Florida sun made the lines of his features more pronounced. Then she meets Seven, and he currently looks more like the teenager in Brock’s senior picture than Brock himself.

“Can I punch you in the stomach?” Destiny asked her husband with an eerily calm.

“Huh?” Brock responded with bewilderment. Their spiritual daughter Amy is the only one who had ever asked to punch him when annoyed. But why would Destiny be annoyed with him? He wasn’t the one who was passed out drunk.

“Why do you want to punch me?” Brock asked now intrigued and ready to brace himself.

“Oh, never mind,” Destiny sighed and then sat down hard on the bed.

“Come on, Dee,” Brock said soothingly. “One of the reasons you and I have such a great relationship is we communicate.”

“Do we?” She asked with a defiant scowl. “Then how come I know so little about your family or your childhood?”

“You know I like to look forward rather than backwards.”

“Hmm…” Destiny groaned as she clutched her head in her hands.

“Listen, Dee, I’ve told you before that Six and I were best friends growing up, and Seven and I were, well, cousins. What more can I say, other than to tell you frivolous stories of youthful mischief?”

“Couldn’t you have at least told me that you and Seven look alike? I was expecting him to look like Six not you.”

“I guess we do look similar, don’t we?”

“Ya think?”

 “You see, Bent and Tito were identical twins,” Brock said. “Whereas Six and Seven are fraternal twins.  When we were kids though, some people thought Seven and I were the twins and Six was the cousin. Other people called Seven and me doppelgangers. But that’s not accurate. As far as I know, doppelgangers are people that look alike, but are not related. Obviously, being cousins, Seven and I have the same grandparents. By the way, I’m sorry.”

“Once again, I’m just tired,” Destiny said and then yawned.  “Besides, you’re used to knowing you look alike, so it’s not on your mind.”

“It is more than you realize.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, Seven’s face has never been a punching bag, or worse yet, been slashed by knives. To be honest, I noticed that you couldn’t take your eyes off of him for a while.”

“Brock,” Destiny said as she stood and wrapped her arms around her husband. “Yes, I was intrigued at seeing a pretty boy version of you. But I’m in love with the soul behind your warm brown eyes. Because of your character, you are the most attractive man on the planet to me. You being handsome and having a killer body is only secondary to my desire for you.”

“Dido,” Brock said with an affectionate smile. “Behold, thou art fair my love; behold thou art fair. Thou hast dove eyes within thy locks: Thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead.”

Destiny giggled. This wasn’t the first time Brock quoted the Song of Solomon chapter 4 to her. “My teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn,” she responded.

“So true my love,” Brock said grinning. “Look at those pearly whites. And your lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely.”

“My neck is like the tower of David builded for an armory.”

“Now my favorite part,” Brock said with a low voice.

Destiny winked, smiled seductively, and made herself available to her husband.

“Thy breasts are like two young roes that are twins, which feed among the lilies.”

Destiny scowled. “For the first time, the twins part is spoiling the mood.”

“No, forget about that,” Brock said as he took her hand and eased his wife toward the bed. “Thou art fair my love; there is no spot in thee.”

“Okay, I’m back in the mood,” Destiny giggled. “You’ve ravished my heart with one of your eyes, with one chain of your neck.”

“How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! How much better is thy love than wine! And the smell of thy ointments than all spices!”

“Oh, you like the smell of Ben Gay on my sour elbow?”

“No, I like the smell of Grace upon thy neck,” he said and then sniffed and kissed her neck.

She giggled. “That’s perfume you said ointments.”

“Hush. Thy lips oh my spouse, drop as the honeycomb.”

Destiny gave him a sexy pout and he kissed her before he continued. “Honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon.”

“That must be gross,” Destiny frowned. “I’ve been wearing these clothes for three fourths of a day now.”

“Okay, that’s enough wooing then. Let’s know each other.”

“We already know each other.”

“You know what I mean.”

A half hour later, Destiny snuggled against her husband. She was relaxed, content, and feeling a deep sleep coming on.

“Dee, I need to tell you something before we go to sleep,” Brock said with surprising energy.

“Hmm?” Destiny murmured as her eyes fluttered and then closed as sleep began to suck away the consciousness.

“I was really excited to tell you something important when we first came to our room. Then you became hostile and wanted to punch me,” Brock said in a low voice.

Now her eyes flew open. She hoped he wasn’t about to ruin her blissful post coital mood. “What?”

“Do you remember when Seven was taking a swallow from his flask and I grabbed him in a bear hug.”

“Yeah.”

“Well something miraculous happened. Do you know how Luke 12:12 says for the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say?”

“Well, yeah I…”

“So when I grabbed Seven, my only thought was to stop him from getting more drunk than he already was and behaving like an idiot. Then I found myself talking into his ear. It’s like it wasn’t me, it was miraculous. I told him the real reason  I was there to help him, that it went beyond the death threats and being his bodyguard. Then I quoted Revelation 10:11 to him. Thou must prophecy again before many nations, and tongues and kings. Then he went slack in my arms. Then he mumbled something about that was more than a decade ago. Nobody knew but me, how did you know? Then he suddenly fled to the bathroom to throw up. Then, as you know, he passed out on the couch.”

Destiny rose to one elbow and with wide eyes looked at her husband. Then the glow of the table lamp made her squint. “How did you know to quote that verse in Revelation?”

“That’s what I’m saying,” Brock said with a chuckle and an expression of awe on his face. “It was miraculous. It had to be, like I said about Luke 12:12, the Holy Spirit. And it must have a profound meaning to Seven personally. If you would have asked me what Revelation 10:11 said on our drive up, I couldn’t have told you. I’m mean obviously I’ve been over the book of Revelation numerous times. But Brock in and of himself wouldn’t have had a clue what that particular verse said without the Divine calling it to my memory.”

“Wow, it must be profound if you went third person on yourself. You hate it when people go third person on themselves.”

The couple talked for almost an hour until Destiny drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep. Brock opened his Bible and read various scriptures he had underlined until sleep came to him also.

Destiny awoke to the smell of coffee. She looked at the digital clock on the nightstand. The red glowing numbers told her it was 5:53am. She sniffed again and couldn’t resist. She dressed in jeans, Brock’s Minnesota Vikings sweatshirt and slid her feet into a pair of Ugg’s. She made her way downstairs expecting to see Charley. Instead she saw Seven sitting at the kitchen table staring at a mug of coffee. She was turning to sneak back upstairs when his eye caught hers and he waved her over. She took a deep breathe and trudged over to him.

VIII

Destiny glanced up at the attic window of the gothic funeral home for a second time. The ghostly woman was still there. She seemed to be looking right at Destiny with a frightening intensity.

“Brock,” Destiny whispered without moving her lips, making his name sound like rock. “Do you see that woman up there?”

“What woman?” he whispered back with a scowl. “Why are we whispering?”

“In the window up there,” she replied as she shifted her eyes toward Brock as she kept her head still. “Look slowly.”

She still didn’t move her lips, making look sound like wook. Not only did Brock not look slowly, he blatantly bent down and peered up out of the windshield.

“I don’t see anything,” he stated.

Now Destiny blatantly peered out of the windshield. She was gone; the window was empty.

“Huh,” she muttered. “I swear I saw a creepy looking woman in that window.”

“Just relax, Dee,” Brock chuckled. “This place is partly a gimmick to give people a different sort of funeral option and experience. You know, they’re purposely creepy and goth here.”

“Oh, I know,” she replied with a nervous laugh, feeling a little foolish.

Brock and Destiny removed themselves from the car, gathered their things and walked toward the funeral home. Destiny glanced up at the window and there stood the woman again.

“Brock, there she is, look!” she gushed.

Brock stopped and gazed up at the window. “I don’t see anything.”

She was gone again!

“But, she was just…” Destiny stammered as she gazed stupidly at the empty window.

Destiny recalled something from the haunted house episode of the old Andy Griffith television show. It was when Barney asked Andy if he saw the eyes moving in the painting of old man Rimshaw. When Andy looked, the eyes were still. When Barney looked, they moved. Great, she was behaving like Barney Fife.

Inside the gothic funeral parlor, it was like being taken back in time one hundred plus years. There was stained oak trim all over the place. There was a big chandelier and old fashioned looking lamps that were electric but flickered slightly, looking as if they were actually fire. There also was a big red brick fireplace with a real fire burning.

“Charley, it’s so good to see you,” Destiny heard Brock say as she noticed a female form wrapped in his embrace.

“I know, I know. How long has it been?” a sultry, smooth ladies voice responded.

“At least two, maybe three years,” Brock replied.

“Haven’t you been living in Iowa at least that long?”

“I have,” Brock replied as they separated from their embrace.

 Charley wasn’t necessarily beautiful in the classic sense, but she was striking. She was tall and slender with long, straight black hair. She had big amazing arctic blue eyes. There was something both warm and yet intense that radiated from her gaze. Could she be the woman from the window? No, the woman in the window wore off white garb. Charley wore a long, black lacey dress with a dark purple shawl that flowed past her tail bone. Glossy dark purple lipstick covered her thin lips. A nose ring twinkled from the left side of her long straight nose and two small loops protruded from her left eyebrow.

 “Charlotte, meet my wife Destiny,” Brock beamed as he waved an arm toward her.

Destiny took a deep breath and made her face become relaxed and friendly. She gave the gothic woman a big smile and extended her hand. “It’s so nice to meet you, Charlotte.”

“The pleasure’s mine, Destiny,” Charlotte’s deep, yet womanly voice purred. She ignored Destiny’s hand and hugged her. Destiny gave her an affectionate squeeze, as if they were long lost friends. “Please, my friends just call me Charley. My given name of Charlotte has become synonymous with a funeral hostess.”

“Okay, Charley,” Destiny replied cheerily as the two women separated. “And my friends call me Dee.”

Charley, Six, Brock and Destiny chatted for ten or fifteen minutes. Then Charley showed her guests to their room. The place was so big it reminded Destiny of an old hotel. As they settled in their room, Brock started acting a little strange.

“Say Dee will you please go down to the car and get my shaving bag?” Brock asked.

“Go get it yourself,” she said with both a frown and a chuckle.

“I, ah, took my shoes off,” he replied.

“So put them back on.”

“I, um, was about to take a quick shower.”

“Oh alright,” she sighed.

Destiny was so spent from the eventful day that Brock’s behavior didn’t make her suspicious. It was rapidly getting dark outside. As soon as she stepped into the hallway, she regretted agreeing to go after Brock’s shaving bag. The whole place had a gloomy vibe, even though it was very clean. When she was with Brock, the atmosphere seemed kind of fun. But by herself, she felt jumpy and skittish. As she made her way down the hall with growing apprehension, Charley suddenly emerged from a doorway, causing Destiny to jerk and gasp. The creamy scarf that she saw the woman in the window wearing was hanging over her shoulders.

“Shh, Dee, it’s okay,” Charley whispered. “Listen, your husband along with mine, had talked me into trying to freak you out. Six told me that you were this smoking hot and a well-known former, um, adult entertainer. Forgive me, but I just assumed you would be this dingy, stuck up snob. Instead you come across as so bright, warm, and sweet.  I just can’t go through with it.”

“So that was you up in the window?” Destiny asked.

 She nodded apologetically.

“Did Brock know about it?”

She smiled conspiratorially and nodded again.

“I should have known.”

“How would you like to turn the tables on the boys?” Charley asked quietly.

“I’d love to!” Destiny whispered excitedly.

“Not tonight, let’s just let it brew for a day or two,” Charley said with a smirk. “Here’s what I have in mind.”

Charley put an arm around Destiny’s shoulders and began to whisper a plan into her ear. Destiny loved it and was all in! Who would have thought she would end up bonding with that ghostly woman in the window.

“Brock, I saw her again,” Destiny panted as she tried to look as rattled as possible as she returned to their room.

 “Saw who?” Brock asked with concern, even though she noticed a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth.

“You know,” she puffed. “That ghostly woman.”

“Where did you see her?”

“First I saw her right out in the hall. Then I saw her on the south side of the house when I was out at the car. It seemed like she just drifted right into the trees.”

“Now, Dee,” Brock scolded mildly. “You’re not gonna tell me you believe in ghosts are you?”

“No, but this place is just beyond creepy,” she whimpered. “Can we stay in a motel after tonight?”

“Dee, we’ll be fine. I’ll keep the boogey man away from you. I mean boogey woman.”

“Will you spoon me tonight when we sleep?”

“Absolutely, my little baby doll,” Brock assured her as he pulled her into an embrace.

With her head on his chest and hands splayed on his back, she detected a slight quiver. She was sure that he was trying to hold back a chuckle. Being privy to the boy’s plan to scar her, she had to stifle her own giggle.

“Easy, Dee, it’s okay,” Brock soothed as he rubbed her back.

This caused her suppressed giggle to become laughter. Brock pushed her away from himself and looked at her. “Dee, are you okay?”

She bit her lower lip hard enough that her eyes watered and she nodded. Brock looked at her concerned. She knew her big loving man was concerned the joke might be going too far. He would never want a joke to hurt anyone or cause pain. And she wanted to be able to reverse the joke on her oversized boy, so she now made herself appear calm.

“I’m just being silly,” she laughed. “It’s been a long day and I’m tired. What was that quote you love by that really good old time football coach? Fatigue makes cowards of us all.”

“Yeah, Vince Lombardi.”

“Well, I guess I’m just overcome with fatigue,” she shrugged.

“Will you be okay for another hour or so? Seven should be here any minute.”

As if on cue, the doorbell gonged.

“That’s probably him. You gonna be okay?”

“Yeah,” she sighed. “I’ll be fine.”

As the couple made their way downstairs, a male voice could be heard ranting about the Minnesota Vikings. The body the voice was coming from had his back to them. A man maybe fifty pounds larger than Brock, and possibly just as fit, stood next to him. He appeared to be of mixed race, and among his numerous tattoos was a tear drop coming from an eye, indicating a prison stint. The speaking man had long dark hair and he swayed drunkenly as he rambled. From the back he reminded Destiny of Captain Jack Sparrow from the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ movies. Then he turned around and her jaw dropped at the man’s resemblance to her husband.

“Just like I remember you, Seven,” Brock said with hands on his hips. “Unable to keep that mouth of yours shut.”

The smile left Seven’s scar free, pretty face that resembled Brock’s more than his own twin brother’s.

“Well, if it isn’t the baddest man in all the bad land,” Seven slurred, and then stared at his cousin with cautious bewilderment.

Brock chuckled and shook his head. Seven’s face relaxed and he grinned. Brock opened his arms and took a step toward him. Seven stepped elegantly toward Brock, even as he swayed and the two men embraced.

“Wow,” Brock said as the two parted. “Don’t light a match around Seven. How much have you had to drink?”

“Just a few cocktails,” Seven replied as he waved a hand dismissively, and then he turned his bleary gaze toward Destiny. “Well, well, this must be Mrs. Knight Storm. So very glad to meet you in the flesh.”

He stepped toward her and she extended a hand. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Sallie.”

“We can do better than that,” Seven said as he grabbed Destiny in a clumsy embrace and held her firmly. “I’ve done some pretty thorough research on you since I found out you married my cousin. I must say, I’m a big fan. I beg you to come out of retirement.”

“How about you step away from my wife, dear cousin?” Brock asked as he clamped a hand on the back of Seven’s neck and yanked him away from Destiny. He then twisted his arm behind his back. “Funny, I came up here to do what I can to help you with death threats and now I feel like breaking your arm.”

“Let go of Seven right now, sir,” the big man accompanying Seven barked.

Brock did not follow the instructions, instead he calmly asked Seven who he was.

“He’s my bodyguard,” Seven squeaked. “Six said you weren’t gonna personally do it, so I found someone.”

“I said let go of him,” the menacing man demanded. “I’m not telling you again.”

“You don’t have to,” Brock said. “You’re fired.”

“That’s not up to you,” he replied as he grabbed Brock aggressively around his upper body.

Before anyone could perceive what was happening, the big man was flipping through the air and onto his back as if he were a rag doll. The big man popped up and a gun materialized in his hand. He started to speak, but Brock kicked out and knocked his legs out from under him. The big man landed with a thud and grunted. A second later his gun was in Brock’s hand. Seven sided up next to Brock with a dazed expression as he looked at the man who was supposed to be his bodyguard.

“I’m sorry, Monroe, but I’m gonna need to let you go,” Seven said calmly. “I’ve found someone better.”

“You owe me,” Monroe said bitterly as he brushed himself off.

“For what?” Seven said as he swayed and put his hands on his hips. “If Brock was a real attacker, I’d be dead or at least seriously injured, while my so called bodyguard lay flat on his back.”

Monroe hung his head and nodded.

“Seven, pay the man,” Brock barked. “He tried. I used to make well into six figures doing this, he didn’t know what he was up against.”

Seven looked at Brock with wide, frightened eyes and Brock chuckled, knowing what his cousin was thinking. “Don’t worry, you get the family rate.”

“Monroe,” Six piped up. “Don’t feel bad. Brock is the best of the best.”

“Man, don’t I know it,” Monroe replied, rubbing his neck. “I found that out the hard way. Usually I just have to look hard at somebody to do my job.”

“Let see,” Seven slurred as he pulled out his wallet, counted out some money and handed it to Monroe. “You’ve been with me two and a half days, I’ll pay you for five days.”

“Fair enough,” Monroe said as he snatched the bills and quickly left.

Seven watched him leave with a look of bewilderment. Then he scowled and waved a dismissive hand so aggressively, he stumbled.

“What’s your problem?” Six chuckled. “ From where I sit, things worked out rather favorably.”

“I just thought he’d do the honorable thing and give back the extra pay since he failed to do his job,” Seven replied as he reached inside his jacket.

“At least you didn’t pay him for five weeks,” Charley said with a giggle.

“True enough,” Seven replied as he pulled out a flask and took a long drink.

“What are you doing, man?” Six asked angrily as he tried to grab the flask from Seven.

Seven laughed childishly and ran away from his brother. Six didn’t give chase, but Seven ran into Brock’s proximity. He began to take another swallow from the flask as Brock came up behind him and engulfed him in a bear hug. Seven began to squirm and protest, but he was powerless against Brock’s size and strength. Brock began to say something into Seven’s ear. He stilled and listened, mesmerized. The three witnesses in the room leaned forward to hear what was being said, but couldn’t make out a word. After a minute, maybe two, Brock stopped whispering into Seven’s ear and released him. Seven turned and stared at Brock as if in awe.

“Yes or no?” Brock asked as he spread his arms.

“Yes,” Seven replied and handed Brock the flask.

Then Seven gave a couple of full body jerks and put a hand over his mouth. He raced to the bathroom and slammed the door. Seconds later the two couples heard him retching. Then the oven binged.

“Well, isn’t that appetizing?” Charley asked sarcastically. “Supper’s done.”

“Well, are you ready for our mission, Quinn?” Brock asked Destiny with a smile as he placed their luggage in the trunk of her pale yellow Volkswagen bug.

“I’m ready as I’ll ever be,” Destiny replied with a smile, even though she felt apprehensive. Brock had to know she didn’t like that nickname. After all, he hadn’t called her that in months. Was he trying to start a fight? That wasn’t like him, and he had never done anything like this before. Yet why would he call her by a name he should clearly know she didn’t like?

The nickname had started when Dirk was in the hospital after saving Amy from being gang raped. He had been suffering from a severe concussion and was in a state of delirium. Due to Destiny’s uncanny resemblance to the actress Margo Robbie, he had thought that Destiny was Harley Quinn from the movie ‘Suicide Squad’. He had also wondered if Brock was the Joker, due to the scar that curled from the corner of Brock’s mouth, sometimes appearing as a sinister grin. So Brock began occasionally calling her Quinn as a bit of a joke.

Then Brock took her to see the ‘Suicide Squad’ movie and she hated it. All of the demonic imagery made her uncomfortable. The portrayal of Dr. Harleen Quinzel reminded her of a cartoonish version of her own mentality during her former life as a porn star. She and Brock had a civil argument afterward. She was appalled that he wasn’t bothered by all of the violence given his own violent background. He claimed there was no comparison between real life and a fictitious movie. The couple ultimately agreed to disagree. But she insisted that he never call her Quinn again. He had complied. Until now.

So why now? She had noticed that Brock had been exceptionally quiet and pensive during the twenty hours since Captain Kirk had made his Seven Sallie proclamation. Was he angry that he was being thrust into a situation that could become violent? He had a right to be, yet she had thrown her support toward what their pastor had instructed. Yet Brock himself said he needed to go to Minnesota before she was even able to give her opinion.

So what should she do if he kept calling her Quinn? Calmly ask him why? Or just go along with it?

They had just one quick stop before the three hour drive to the Twin Cities. Destiny had made a couple of sandwiches for their road trip, but they were out of mustard. Brock loved what he referred to as turd on his sandwiches. After the liquid poop ordeal with baby Ella, Destiny was curious to see if he still referred to mustard that way. They stopped at a grocery store on the way out of town. “What all do we need here?” Destiny asked.

“Just turd as far as I know,” Brock replied.

“Okay,” she giggled.

“What?” Brock inquired with a grin and a frown.

“Oh nothing. We might as well get some more snacks, too.”

“You mean like chips, soda, and Ding Dong’s?” Brock asked with a mischievous smirk. He often accused Destiny of becoming a health fanatic. She usually replied that she had to, since he was making her into a workout fanatic.

The store was unfamiliar to them. Yet Destiny was about to gain an amusing memory that she would always  associate with this particular retailer. An employee noticed that they were lost and looking around and approached the couple. “Can I help you find something?” The older lady asked.

“Yes, could you tell us where the condom isle is?” Brock asked.

“Condoms are over by the pharmacy,” she replied casually.

“Huh, what?” Brock muttered.

“He meant condiments,” Destiny said with a chuckle.

“That’s what I said,” Brock responded.

“No, dear you said condom isle,” she told him.

 “I did?” Brock frowned and looked at the store’s employee. She nodded as she grinned merrily and winked at them.

“Sorry,” Brock smiled sheepishly as his face reddened. “We need mustard.”

“Isle four, honey,” she told them.

“Thanks,” Brock and Destiny said in unison.

After taking a half dozen steps in the direction of isle four, Destiny lost it. She doubled over and began laughing so hard tears flowed and her stomach began to cramp. Although Brock was amused at his embarrassing encounter, he quickly noticed that a couple of old ladies glared at him, not knowing that Destiny’s tears were caused by extreme laughter.

“Dee, darling, stop it,” Brock chuckled. “People are gonna think I’m making you cry.”

“You are sweetie, you are!”

As they headed down the highway, Destiny smiled and giggled to herself as she looked at her hulking husband behind the wheel of her little car. It had only been a few weeks since she had sold her sexy fire engine red Dodge Viper and bought her cute little Beetle from a friend of her aunt Belle.

“Thank you for the good endorphins back in the store, sweetie,” Destiny said.

“Glad my humiliation served to your delight,” Brock replied with a sarcastic smirk. Destiny couldn’t tell if he was being lighthearted or if there was some underlying anger in his tone. The couple were quiet for the next five minutes, only soft jazz on the radio sounding between them.

“How odd,” Destiny said, and then waited for Brock to respond. He didn’t. “I said, how odd.”

“I give up, what’s odd?” Brock replied. Destiny was now sure that Brock was feeling hostile to some degree.

“We’ve been married a couple years now and were both from the Twin city area, yet this is the first time we’re going back since we’ve met.”

“It’s not so odd,” Brock said with a shrug. “We were both estranged from our families in one way or another.”

“I guess,” Destiny replied with a shrug of her own.

“Are you gonna want to see your dad while we’re up there?” Brock asked.

“Not really,” she answered. “Unless you want to meet him.”

“Not really.”

 “Are you gonna wanna see any of your immediate family?”

“Nodda,” he replied emphatically.

“I might if you might.”

“Quinn, let’s just focus on the mission at hand,” Brock barked impatiently.

Destiny felt anger course through her, making her jaw clench. “Why are you calling me that?” She asked as calmly as she could.

“Huh?”

“That’s the second time you’ve called me Quinn. You know I don’t like it.”

Brock glanced at her meekly with puppy dog eyes, and she wondered if she sounded too hostile.

“Sorry,” Brock mumbled. “I didn’t know it was that big of a deal. It’s just, well, I feel sort of like I’m being pulled into this against my will. I’m scared of ending up in a situation like I was with those two punks a few weeks ago. I don’t like the ugly side of my nature that’s prone to violence. I like feeling the love and peace of God. I don’t understand why a supposed heaven sent mission would want to turn me into, well, the Joker. I guess that has been on my mind. So without really thinking about it, I guess I started calling you Quinn again. Once again, I’m sorry. I would never do anything purposely hurtful to you. Now I know how serious you are about being called that. Or not called that. You know what I mean.”

“I do, and I’m sorry for being so sensitive,” she said as she leaned over toward him and kissed his cheek. As she began to pull away, he clutched her chin and kissed her mouth. She laughed. “Brock, stop, you’re driving.”

“How about we pull over for a little while?” he asked as he wiggled his eyebrows.

“Fine with me, big boy,” Destiny purred seductively.

Brock glanced at her with a silly expression on his face and she giggled, knowing he was tempted.

“As much as I’d like to, we better just keep rolling.”

“You know, sweetie, bodyguarding Seven might be the premise for getting you two together. But mentoring Seven spiritually sounds like the real calling.”

Brock glanced lazily at his wife and yawned. “I don’t know which is worse, Seven’s pretty bitter. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do for him.”

“Let go and let God.”

Brock yawned. “It’s all I can do.”

“You seem tired.”

“I couldn’t sleep. I got up around one and looked at Seven’s podcasts until after four. That’s how I know he’s really bitter.”

“Do you want me to drive? I slept like a rock.”

“I know, you were snoring pretty good.”

“I was not, was I?”

“Don’t worry, you have the cutest snores ever. You kind of do this sweet little caw, caw type thing.”

“How embarrassing,” Destiny giggled. “So do you want me to drive?”

“Would you mind?”

“Of course not.”

“Okay, thanks. I have the GPS set to Six’s place.”

“Shouldn’t we go to our motel first?”

“Didn’t I tell you that Six insisted we stay at his place?”

“But it’s a funeral home, isn’t it?”

“It is.”

“I don’t want to spend the night in a funeral home.”

“Oh come on, you don’t believe in ghosts, do you?”

“Of course not, but…”

“Look, just one night. I don’t want to hurt his feelings. Then we’ll figure something out.”

Destiny and Brock switched places. Three hours later they pulled into the drive of an old, large brick house.

“We’re really gonna sleep at a funeral home?” Destiny asked Brock with a wince as they made their way up the long driveway.

“We’ll be bedding down in the home part, not the funeral part,” Brock explained matter of fact.

 It looked like a huge haunted house, albeit well maintained. It sat on about a three or four acre lot with around two dozen big old oak trees scattered around the well-kept lawn. There was a six-foot black rod iron fence lining the front.  The home appeared to be three stories with a two-foot rod iron fence going around the entire roof. Four gargoyle statues stared down menacingly from each corner of the roof. The driveway up to the mini mansion was lined with some type of creepy mossy trees that formed a sinister looking partial tunnel.

Six’s 1959 Cadillac hearse was parked under a large carport structure that extended off the side of the home. A praying four-foot statue of The Virgin Mary was on the first corner of the roof of the carport.  Other than a garage that looked like it could fit about ten vehicles, the entire back yard was a parking lot. There were no cars in the lot, so Brock chose a close spot. As Brock shut the car off, Destiny happened to glance up to a single window at the top floor that presumably was an attic. The window was circular and had a piece of wood trim going horizontal and a piece that was vertical dividing the glass into four sections. A very pale woman with large eyes stared intently at them. A creamy colored scarf was draped over her head, framing her alabaster face. A chill ran up and down Destiny’s spine. This definitely was not a typical funeral home!

VI

Captain Kirk was frustrated. Just three days after his blinding visit from the angel Melanchthon, Brock confided in him that he had confronted the two guys who had attacked Amy, Destiny, and Dirk. He confessed his temptation to torture and kill. Captain Kirk was tempted to tell Brock about his angelic encounter. However, the only person Melanchthon mentioned him telling was his wife. But the angel didn’t specifically say don’t tell anyone else. So, with Brock’s victory over his greatest temptation, the Pastor’s mouth opened to tell Brock about Melanchthon and the mission. Then he closed it and quickly ran a hand over his long white beard as the Holy Spirit seemed to tell him not yet.

After visiting with Brock, Captain Kirk went to the spot of his encounter with Melanchthon. He looked around and called out. He prayed. For twenty days in a row, regardless of rain, sleet, or snow, he repeated the ritual. Nothing. On the twenty first day he gave up. First thing in the morning he participated in a ritual he had repeated more than a thousand times. After tea and coffee with friends, he went to his favorite rec center to walk two brisk miles around the track. When he had a tenth of a mile left to complete his quota, a man around Kirk’s age came striding up next to him. The pastor was certain he had never seen the guy before.

“Good morning,” the Regis Philbin look alike greeted.

“Good morning,” Kirk repeated.

“Come here often?” the stranger asked.

“Oh, a few times a week in the winter. It’s a nice place to walk and think. A lot of friendly folks here, too. This your first time here?”

“No, I’ve been here quite a bit.”

“I see. You must usually come at a different than me.”

“No, I’ve seen you here before.”

“Huh, I’ll be,” Kirk replied as he frowned and scratched his head. One of the pastor’s gifts was remembering names and faces. Then he remembered his manners and offered his hand to shake. “Forgive me, but I don’t recall crossing paths with you before. My name is Kirk Samson.”

“That’s alright. I’ve seen you, but I’m certain you’ve never seen me. We have met before, though. You can call me Mel.”

Kirk stopped in his tracks on the track and looked intently at the old man. “Melanchthon!”

“In the flesh rather than the spirit,” he chuckled.

“It’s great to see you again, Mel!” Captain Kirk beamed as he now shook the angel’s hand vigorously with both of his. “It’s been three weeks since Brock’s temptation. Or was I misguided? Brock told me about being tempted to do serious harm to a couple of individuals. Was there something else besides that he was going to be tempted with?”

“No, no, that’s the only one,” Melanchthon replied as he eased his hand out of Kirk’s grip. “For now.”

“Brock will have another temptation to kill in the future?”

“Not necessarily,” the angel answered. “But one never knows, especially with his history of violence coupled with this volatile world. As long as he walks in The Spirit, he will be fine. As always, it will be his choice.”

Kirk looked at his shoes as he contemplated his dear friend Brock. A man so close to his heart that he felt like his son. Yes, Brock appeared a menacing figure with his large, muscular body and scars. And he knew from Brock’s own mouth that he had not only a violent, but murderous history. Yet Kirk knew in his heart that Brock’s conversion was genuine. Why would Melanchthon, a holy angel, request that Brock be put into the way of temptation by coming out of retirement as a bodyguard?

“Protecting Seven is a secondary role for Brock in this mission,” Melanchthon declared as if he had read Kirk’s mind. “His primary role will be to lead Seven to the Savior of the world. Yet as you are well aware, Jesus forces Himself on no one. He stands at the door of the heart and mind and knocks.”

“Revelation 3:20,” Kirk added with childlike enthusiasm.

Melanchthon smiled. “Correct. So although The Prince of Peace doesn’t force Himself on anyone, He doesn’t give up either. At one time Seven almost gave his heart fully to the Lord. But then with the fallout in his marriage and disillusionment with his church, he stepped onto the road to perdition. Yet during his journey, he has looked back with longing. But then the arch enemy placed in his sight the false doctrines and dogmas accepted and taught by most churches, including the two he had been involved with during his lifetime. He then turned back to his nihilistic and agnostic views. Brock’s ministrations will most likely be his last chance to see, experience, and accept the real truth. Do you understand?”

“Yes sir, Mel.”

“Yesterday Six Sallie and Benito Bonnano petitioned Brock’s help with Seven’s death threat situation. Brock agreed to help, but down right refused to be involved firsthand. I need you to change Brock’s mind.”

“I know Benito Bonnano is Bentley’s twin brother,” Kirk said. “Can I assume that Six Sallie is Seven’s brother?”

“Yes, twin brother.”

“I’ll be, twin brothers from the twin cities.”

“Yes, however, Six could be a dangerous setback. He is a skeptic and a poisonous influence on his brother. Seven would be too proud to admit this if he was aware of it. He views himself a superior intellect to his brother. But Six is more worldly wise than Seven and a shrewd businessman. He tends to be quiet like Brock used to be. His influence is injected subtlety, but unknowingly. Yet his own heart is ripe for conversion as well as his brother’s. The change he has seen in Brock’s life has broken down some barriers. If Seven surrenders to God and is converted, it just might tear down the rest of them. Do you follow me?”

“Yes sir,” Captain Kirk replied. “What would you have me do next?”

“When you finish here, go to Brock and tell him it is desired of him to help Seven firsthand.”

“Can I tell him and his wife about my two encounters with you?”

“You may. But have them keep it to themselves. Seven is the subject of this mission, not little ole me. Christ needs to be the ultimate focus, not his messenger.”

“Yes sir, Mel sir.”

Melanchthon grinned. He knew this old soldier would be perfect for this mission. “Would you lead us in a quick prayer, Kirk?”

“Me, shouldn’t you, sir?”

“I am here as your servant, not your superior. That’s why I told you before to just call me Mel rather than sir or even by my full name.”

“Yes sir. I mean Mel sir. Mel.”

Melanchthon laughed, and for the first time Kirk felt completely comfortable in the angel’s presence.

“Sorry, Mel. I’m just in awe being in the presence of an angel. I’m humbled to be found worthy of a heaven sent mission.”

“I’m in awe in your presence,” Melanchthon declared. “You have always been a faithful shepherd of your flock, both here and in Vietnam.”

The smile left Kirk’s face as he recalled his first few years back from the war and his major struggle of faith. Mel surprised him by taking one of his hand in his and giving it an affectionate squeeze.

“I know you went through a valley of darkness in the 1970’s. But just as in that lovely, beautiful poem Footprints: When it felt like there was only one pair in the walk of life. It was then that your Savior Jesus Christ carried you.”

“Amen, and thank you Mel,” Kirk said quietly as tears sprang from his eyes. Mel nodded as he smiled warmly.

“Let’s have a quick prayer before I go then,” Mel said as he slipped his hand out of Kirk’s hand and clasped his hands together in front of him, bowing his head. Kirk mimicked his actions.

“Father in heaven,” Kirk began as he closed his eyes. “Thank you that your mercies are new every morning. That though we walk through the valley of death, we have nothing to fear. Please give me strength and wisdom for the mission ahead and be with those involved. Please help me to live up to the calling, and thank you for Mel’s encouragement. Amen.”

“Amen,” Kirk heard the reply, but it wasn’t Mel!

It sounded like Wally Schwartz. Kirk opened his eyes. It was indeed Wally Schwartz, one of his tea and coffee buddies. Kirk’s head swiveled all around his neck, but Mel was nowhere to be seen.

“Who’s Mel?” Wally asked, as his big, furry eyebrows knitted together in a frown. He scratched his bald head.

“Oh, ha ha. Just a friend of mine,” Kirk told his pal.

“I don’t believe I know any Mel’s,” he continued as he patted at his puffy gray fringe of hair. “He from around here?”

“Yes and no,” Kirk replied as he patted Wally a couple of times on the shoulder. “Listen, old buddy, I’ve gotta run.”

Destiny Knight Storm looked out her kitchen window when she heard the rumble of a truck. She saw Captain Kirk’s old 1956 Dodge Power Wagon. She watched him get out of the light green truck and hurry into Brock’s shop. The bread she had baking had almost five minutes left to bake. After she took it out of the oven, she would go say hello to him. But a minute later, her husband and their pastor came into the kitchen.

“Dee, Cap here has something important he needs to talk to us about,” Brock said.

“Okay,” she replied as she smiled at Captain Kirk. She didn’t like how Brock had begun to call him Cap or Cappy lately. She felt like it didn’t show him due respect, even though the Captain didn’t seem to mind. “How are you, Pastor?”

“Fine, Dee, thank you.”

Destiny frowned. Was he fine? He seemed troubled about something. His eyes looked frantic and he seemed to be short of breath.

“Let’s have a seat at the table,” Brock suggested.

“Can I get you anything, Pastor?” Destiny asked. “Tea, juice, a blueberry muffin?”

“No thank you, Dee. I’d rather we just get to the business at hand.”

“Okay,” Destiny replied as her pulse quickened. What had Captain Kirk so worked up? She sat with the two men and listened eagerly to what the Pastor had to tell them as she nervously stroked her long honey blonde braid.

“Well,” Kirk said and then hesitated as he looked back and forth between Destiny and Brock. “I… Oh boy.”

The pastor put his face in his hands. Destiny and Brock looked at each other with concern.

“Cap, what is it?” Brock asked as he put a hand on his shoulder. “Are you alright?”

Captain Kirk’s head popped up quick, like a jack in the box. “Oh, yeah, I’m fine, I’m fine. It’s just…”

Brock and Destiny leaned in as he paused, anticipating what had their pastor so discombobulated. Suddenly he bellowed laughter and the couple sat back in surprise.

“Sir, are you sure you’re okay?” Destiny asked.

“Yes, dear one, it’s just,” he laughed and shook his head. “You might think I’m crazy.”

“We’re kind of already there, Captain,” Brock said lightheartedly as he patted the top of his hand.

Captain Kirk chuckled sheepishly. “I guess I better just cut to the chase then. I’ve been instructed from on high that you need to personally bodyguard your cousin, one Seven Sallie.”

“Honey, did you tell the pastor about our visitors yesterday?” Brock asked his wife with a puzzled frown.

“No, Sweetie, I wouldn’t do something like that without letting you know.”

“Did Amy or Dirk tell you, Cappy?”

“No, no, this is where you need to trust me,” Captain Kirk said with a nervous chuckle. Then he spread his hands wide, looked at the table for a few seconds as he pursed his lips and frowned. Then he just blurted it. “I had an encounter with an angel.”

Destiny and Brock looked at each other with stunned expressions. Then they looked back at their pastor and asked in unison. “Really?”

Captain Kirk proceeded to tell them about his two encounters with Melanchthon. Beginning with what he thought was a flash of lightning on a clear day, and ended with his encounter praying with the old man at the rec center.

“I wondered why you haven’t been wearing your glasses,” Brock said.

“I’ve gotta call Amy and Dirk!” Destiny said excitedly. “I’ve gotta call Aunt Belle and Mary Gold Weston!”

“Hold on, Dee,” Captain Kirk said, grabbing her hand as she rose from her chair. “Mel told me we should keep it to ourselves.”

“Oh, okay,” she replied solemnly as she sat back down.

“Mel?” Brock asked with a frown.

“The angel Melanchthon told me I could call him Mel.”

“Oh,” Brock replied with a puzzled look on his face. “I see.”

“You believe me don’t you?” Captain Kirk asked with a concerned expression.

“Of course I do, sir,” Brock replied emphatically. “It’s just not every day someone tells you about an angelic encounter they’ve had.  Let me rephrase that. I’ve never heard of anyone in present time having an angelic encounter. Let alone someone I know and trust. It’s a little hard to wrap the mind around.”

The trio sat silent for a minute, slowly looking at one another. Then Captain Kirk slowly got to his feet. “Well, I’ve done my duty so far in letting you know about the mission. I’ll go and let you have time to think about how you want to respond to this.”

“Sir!” Brock barked as he shot to his feet. “I’m in. I’ll do whatever you tell me.”

“Son, take your time. This isn’t a small thing.”

“No sir, it’s not,” Brock said as a tear rolled from an eye and down his cheek. “I’ve been a vile sinner, sir. It is a great honor to not only be forgiven and accepted, but requested to be a part of a God sent mission.”

“Okay, son.”

“Dee, I have to do this,” Brock said as he turned to his wife. “I need to go to Minnesota.”

Destiny smiled and nodded as tears streamed down both of her checks as well. “I’m going with you.”

CHAPTER 5

Ella Easton was born on October 19, 2017 on what would have been Bentley Bonnano’s 35^th birthday. The dear man known as Bent had given up his life saving Amy and Dirk almost a year earlier. The first weeks after their spiritual granddaughter was born, Brock and Destiny had been enjoying quiet lives. Nora Medora and her colleagues had apprehended the person behind the vicious attack on Amy, Destiny and Dirk. Although Brock had since kept a vigilant guard up, everything seemed to be peace and safety. But that was about to change. It all began with a rather startling surprise.

Brock had been holding baby Ella for the first time. It was quite the sight to behold. Big, strong, burly Brock holding a fragile little person while looking possibly as frightened as Destiny had ever seen him.  Brock’s light brown eyes twinkled and he smiled as he slowly became comfortable. Then Ella became very still before a little explosion came from her behind. She had pooped with such liquid force that it leaked right through her diaper. Amy took Ella from Brock and then he raced to the bathroom horrified at being smeared with baby excrement. As he cleaned up, Brock loudly joked that Dirk must have put on Ella’s diaper. When Dirk looked more sheepish than amused, Destiny surmised an element of truth in Brock’s jesting.

Shortly after Ella relieved herself on Brock, there was a knock at the door. In the chaos of baby waste, nobody even notice a vehicle pull up. The doorbell jingled seconds after a knock. Destiny answered the door and her heart leapt from her chest. It was Bentley Bonnano standing in the entryway! But that wasn’t possible! Only instead of wearing his typical greasy jeans and t shirt, Bent wore khakis and a dark blue polo shirt. Instead of shoulder length, stringy, dark hair, he had shorter and slicked straight back hair. Yet there was the same impish smile from his wide mouth as well as the same long straight nose.

But it couldn’t be sweet Bent; he was dead. Destiny didn’t believe in ghosts, but here was Bentley Bonnano standing right in front of her in the flesh! Next to him stood a man that grinned broadly with his eyes covered by sunglasses with round lenses. Thick dark brown hair was combed into a retro fifties style and a short, thick beard covered his jaw. She looked past the two men and saw an old black Cadillac hearse. Destiny gasped loudly as she dropped the glass of raspberry tea she was holding, shattering the goblet into dozens of pieces.

“Mom, what is it?” Dirk barked before he arrived at her side and took in the sight of Bentley and the sinister stranger. The bottle of water he held slipped from his fingers and thudded to the floor as his mouth dropped open in utter surprise.

“What’s going on?” Amy asked as she entered the kitchen and made her way to the door.

“Sweetie, don’t drop Ella!” Destiny cautioned as she moved toward Amy and put her hands protectively on the baby.

“Why would I…” Amy’s mouth dropped open and her pretty multicolored eyes widened. “Bentley!”

The Ghost of Bentley Bonnano and the stranger looked at each other with puzzled expressions. Then the stranger removed his sunglasses and spoke.

“Relax,” he said with a sly grin. “We come in peace, we mean you know harm.”

“Six, Tito, come in, come in,” Brock said as he walked in behind his family. He wore a huge grin as he entered the kitchen. The stranger stepped in followed by Bentley. Brock and the stranger embraced enthusiastically, then he and Bentley hugged. “Hey everybody, this is my cousin Simon Six Sallie, he goes by Six, and Benito Bonnano, Bent’s twin brother. He goes by Tito. Tito and I worked for the same agency in Miami. He’s who hooked me up with Bent when I came to Iowa.”

Brock continued to get everybody acquainted. As he finished, Amy calmly, yet menacingly handed baby Ella to Dirk.

“We didn’t know Bentley’s brother was an identical twin,” Destiny said. “How come you never told us?”

“I thought you knew,” Brock shrugged.

“Well, we didn’t,” feisty little Amy said with a scowl as her delicate fist hurled toward Brock’s stomach.

“Woof,” he moaned as he doubled over and slapped a hand hard on the counter.

“Oh no!” Amy said as a hand went to her mouth.

Amy and Brock had a little game they played with each other on occasion. Amy would get irritated with him and want to punch him in the stomach. Brock would then let her hit him. It not only never fazed him, Amy usually complained of an injured fist or wrist. Until now.

“Daddy, I’m so sorry,” Amy lamented. “It’s never hurt you before.”

“You never did it without warning before,” he groaned. “I wasn’t braced for it.”

“Oh,” Amy moaned as she bit the tip of a finger and winced. “No wonder it didn’t hurt my fist this time. Are you okay?”

“Come here,” he said pulling her into a tight hug. “I’m fine.”

Before they released each other, Brock’s fingers wiggled on Amy’s rib cage. She squealed and squirmed away from him as they both laughed.

 “You!” Amy scolded with hands on her hips. “Now I’m glad I punched you.”

“Well, this certainly is a surprise,” Brock declared as he looked back and forth between Tito and his cousin.

 “Yes it is,” Tito retorted. “I never thought I’d see the great Brock Storm doubled over by a punch from a guy, let alone a skinny gal.”

“Watch it, bub, or your next,” Amy teased as she shook her fist at Tito. The kitchen erupted with laughter.

“So how do Bent’s brother and Brock’s cousin know each other?” Destiny wanted to know.

 “Because of all the times Six came and stayed with us in Miami when Brock and I were roommates,” Tito chuckled.

 “Hey, when you live in Minnesota, Miami is a great place for a winter vacation,” Six retorted. “Especially when you can find free lodging.”

“And food,”  Brock added.

“And transportation,” Tito teased.

“And Tito’s clothes,” Brock said.

“Alright, alright,” Six said. “Quit making me out to be a mooch. Ya’ all are welcome to stay at my place anytime and for any length of time.”

“Yeah, a gothic funeral home in the frozen Twin Cities,” Tito chuckled. “Thanks, but no thanks.”

 “So to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit today?” Brock asked the duo. “This is a long way from Miami.”

 “A corpse,” Tito said casually. “Also, Six had a situation he wanted me to look into. I was telling him how I was out of the country on a top secret mission when my brother died and still hadn’t had a chance to pay my respects. Then low and behold, Six tells me that he needed to go close to my hometown and invited me to come along to visit my little brother’s final resting spot.”

“Little brother?” Dirk inquired. “Brock just said that you’re twins.”

 “I was born a few minutes before Bent,” Tito explained.

“What was that about a corpse?” Destiny asked.

“Well, there was a body to pick up in Waterloo,” Six said matter of fact as he ran a hand through his thick chestnut hair. “So I…”

 “You’re kidding,” Amy interrupted, wincing and crinkling her cute little nose. “You have a dead body in that creepy car?”

“Well, it is a hearse,” Dirk chuckled.

 “Well yeah, a corpse makes good company,” Six smiled. “He hasn’t interrupted Tito’s and my conversations once.”

“Seriously, you brought a dead body to our home?” Destiny asked with amused bewilderment.

 “Don’t worry,” Six assured her “I’ve ridden with countless corpses and I’ve never had one attack me yet.”

“Careful, you’re gonna ruin these two youngsters belief in zombies,” Destiny smiled as she put an arm around Amy and Dirk.

“Oh stop it, Mom,” Amy laughed.

“We just joke about zombies, we most definitely don’t believe they’re real,” Dirk added.

“Wait, something’s crawling out of the back of Six’s hearse,” Brock said earnestly as he looked out of the kitchen window.

Amy reflexively peered out the window and then slapped Brock on the upper arm and laughed, “Shut up, Daddy.”

 “Wait a minute,” Six said as he held up a hand in a stop gesture. “Why does this lovely young lady call you two mom and daddy?”

Destiny explained how they had met Amy when Nora Medora had asked she and Brock to protect her from a cult that wanted her for a human sacrifice. Then how Amy and Dirk met when he helped save her from being gang raped. Also how they both had been orphaned before they were teenagers and started calling Brock and Destiny mom and dad as sort of a joke. But when they married and baby Ella came along, it became more real than pretend.

“Hmm,” Tito nodded and grinned. “So it was just your typical love story.”

“And if your brother hadn’t given his life to save us, we wouldn’t be here,” Amy said, her big blue eye and big green eye filling with tears as she kissed her daughter. “And she wouldn’t either.”

“I know my brother would have absolutely no regrets,” Tito replied with a croak in his voice.

Amy handed baby Ella to Dirk, went to Tito and hugged him. The two cried softly as everybody else stood still and reverent as Bentley was fondly remembered. After a minute, Six, an experienced funeral director, gently broke the silence. “So, the reason we’re here.”

“You mean besides you picking up a body and Tito paying respects to his brother,” Brock said and then winked. “Surely it’s because you both missed me.”

“Right, right,” Six drawled, sounding like Matthew Mc McConaughey.  Then Six looked Brock hard in the eyes. “Seven has gotten several death threats and they seem to be more serious than just pranks. Tito checked it out and confirmed it.”

“Well, if Tito says it needs to be taken seriously, take it serious,” Brock replied. “Tito is among the best at evaluating these types of situations.”

“And you’re among the best at protecting the people plagued by violent threats,” Tito replied.

“Hold on,” Brock said, putting up his hand in a stop gesture. “For one thing I’m retired from bodyguarding, and for another, Seven and I don’t live in the same neck of the woods.”

“And for another, you and him get along about as well as an ornery cat and a vicious dog,” Six chuckled.

“Six, that isn’t gonna help sell him on helping,” Tito said with a frown.

“Oh, it’s not like he doesn’t already know,” Six explained. “Besides, Brock and Seven are kinfolk, they love each other.”

Brock stared blankly at Six.

“I said love not like, truth?”

“Truth,” Brock replied. “But I don’t know what you expect me to do. I’m not going to Seattle indefinitely.”

“Seven isn’t in Seattle anymore,” Six said. “He’s been back in the Twin cities for almost a year.”

“He has? I guess we’ve been out of touch?”

“Ya think?” Six said as he put his hands on his hips.

“Minneapolis is just a quick three hour drive from here,” Tito said. “Just come up for a day or two and help us find somebody as good as you at personal protection.”

“That’s not possible,” Dirk declared.

“Not even close,” Amy added.

“Honey, how would you feel if somebody killed Seven and you weren’t there personally looking out for him?” Destiny asked. “You need to put aside any personal differences you have with the man.”

“Six, can you help me out here?” Brock asked his cousin. “As his brother, can you tell my family why I can’t personally be Seven’s bodyguard?”

“I understand Brock’s concern,” Six nodded. “When we were young, Seven’s mouth got Brock into more skirmishes than you can shake a fist at. No pun intended. Now my dear sweet brother is sharing that obnoxious mouth with literally millions. So you do see Brock’s dilemma, don’t you?”

“Amen brother!” Brock told his cousin. “I’ll help you find a good man or men to protect Seven. But I cannot and will not personally have his back watched twenty four seven. Period!”

CHAPTER 4

It occurred to Seven Sallie that one the three men snorting something in the night club’s restroom had said his name. Then he realized that they were trying to taunt him. He heard words like loudmouth, know it all, and arrogant all mixed with profanity. He felt a sarcastic smile grow onto his face, even though his fingers trembled as he zipped up his fly. The last couple of months he had been getting recognized left and right due to the growing popularity of his podcast, ‘The Seven Sallie Showdown.’ But Seven was polarizing. It seemed he was either loved or hated. These gentlemen in the restroom appeared to be the later. So he stepped away from the urinal and walked briskly toward the door.

“My mama taught me to wash my hands after going to the bathroom,” one of them taunted. “Looks like Seven Sallie’s mom is as filthy as his mouth.”

Seven couldn’t resist. He turned and faced them. “My mom taught me not to pee on my hands.”

Two of the men laughed, but the biggest of the three scowled. Apparently he was the speaker.

“What did you say?” he asked as he took two quick steps and shoved Seven. He thumped hard into the door, and then spun and reached for the handle. The big man put a hand on Seven’s shoulder and spun him back around. He took two fists full of Seven’s black polo shirt and slammed him into the door.

“You better take that back and I mean now,” the bully said as he pressed Seven so hard against the door that he thought he might bust through it.

But Seven grinned. Not because he was a fighter nor because two martinis and three beers had given him liquid courage. His smirk was because he recalled one of the self-defense moves his cousin Brock had taught him years ago that was perfect for this situation. He quickly lifted his left arm up and over the top of the bully’s two arms. Grasping the bully’s left wrist he pivoted to his left, jerking the bully off balance and toward him as his right elbow smashed into the bully’s nose. There was a sharp crack that seemed to echo and the bully’s hands went to his face.

“My nose, my nose!” he bellowed. “You broke my nose.”

“Actually, your injured nose is your own fault,” Seven replied as he casually smoothed wrinkles from his shirt. “After all, who attacked whom?”

“Whom?” The two men with intact noses said as they looked dumbly at each other and then at their moaning friend. Seven then left post haste.

Rumors of the altercation only added to the buzz around Seven Sallie and his controversial show. At first Seven worried about an assault charge. Then he realized it would only add to his notoriety and he actually hoped for one. What he received instead was his first death threat. He assumed it was probably the guy he had an altercation with. Then he got a second and a third, all three of a different type, but with the same conclusion. Seven’s demise.

He told his manager. His manager told the cops. The cops told him they would look into it and to be careful. He told his twin brother Six.

“Call Brock,” Six suggested.

Seven winced. “I can’t call Brock.”

“Why not?”

“He doesn’t like me.”

“I don’t like you and I’m your brother.”

“Gee, thanks.”

Six laughed. “Come on man, I’m kidding. I like ya. Sort of.”

“Nobody likes me.”

“You like you.”

“That’s true,” Seven replied, his voice a little more optimistic.

“Listen Sev, Brock was a professional bodyguard. If anything he can probably give you some solid advice.”

“What do you mean was? I thought he is a bodyguard.”

“No man, he retired that. He lives on a hobby farm in Iowa.”

“Retired? He’s only in his mid-thirties.”

“I don’t know dude, he must have made good coin. Plus he married that former porn chick. She was kinda famous so she probably made some serious bucks as well.”

“Wait, what? He married that mean cop chick? And she got into porn?”

“Oh man, you two really don’t like each other do you? How long has it been since you talked to Brock?”

“Well, do you remember when I mouthed off to those four drunk rednecks at Grant Gordan’s  bachelor party?”

“It’s hard to keep track of everyone you’ve mouthed off to, but ya, that was a unique one. We would have got our behinds handed to us if Brock hadn’t have been there. Those were some bad boys.”

“Yeah I know,” Seven Sallie sighed. “Afterwards, Brock chewed me up one side and down the other. He even clutched my jaw so hard I thought he might break it, and he told me he was tired of bailing my mouth out of trouble. He said next time he was gonna, as you put it, let me get my behind handed to me. Well, my pride was hurt. The next couple times we were around each other I gave him the silent treatment. He gave it back. We haven’t really spoken much since.”

Six laughed. “You’re gonna honestly tell me Brock gave you the silent treatment? Part of Brock’s mystique is that he never said much.”

“I wonder if that was what made him so menacing?”

“I’m sure it added to it. What made him truly menacing was being built like an NFL linebacker by the time he was eighteen and knowing how to fight on top of it. Look, just call him. Trust me, he’d be glad to hear from ya. He’ll be glad to help. We’re not young idiots anymore. Well, you might still be an idiot though.”

“You think you’re funny.”

“So do you.”

“I know that I’m funny.”

“Sure you do. Listen, call him.”

“Six! Do you know how many times I got Brock into altercations?”

“No.”

“Exactly. It was more times than we can remember. Listen, I don’t blame him for getting fed up with me.”

“But that was a long time ago, we’ve matured.”

“Have we? Brock married a porn star, you run a gothic funeral parlor, and I shoot of my mouth for a living.”

“But…”

“Another thing,” Seven interrupted. “In the past I irritated a few people at time. Now I tick off hundreds at a time.”

“Thousands.”

“I wouldn’t go that far.”

“Maybe millions.”

“Come on, some people like me.”

“Not really.”

“I said some.”

“But most don’t.”

“Okay, for the sake of argument, let’s say you’re right. Don’t you see why Brock wouldn’t want to get involved?”

“Hey, I got an idea. When Brock lived in Miami he shared a house with this dude he worked with at that security agency. I got know him pretty well. He actually specialized in espionage type stuff rather than muscle. He lives in Chicago now and works privately. He’d be even better than Brock at identifying how serious these threats are. Trust me he’s good.”

“I believe you. As often as you went to Miami and stayed with Brock I almost thought Miami was your residence.”

“It might have become my residence if I hadn’t met Charlotte.”

“Brother, that is true love. Passing up the beaches of Miami for the blizzards of Minnesota.”

“So, do you want me to call Benito?”

“Benito?”

“Yeah, Benito Bonnano, the guy Brock used to work with.”

“I’m getting death threats and you want to help me with someone called Benito Bonnano?”

“Well, he goes by Tito.”

“Wait a minute. I know the name Bonnano. I thought it was Bentley.”

“Yeah, Bentley would be Tito’s brother. He got killed helping Brock save some chick from a satanic cult about a year ago.”

This sobered Seven and he paused for several seconds before saying, “Go ahead and call Tito.”

CHAPTER 3

               Destiny never thought that she would be more terrified than when she was almost raped with a possibility of murder a decade earlier. But when she saw a masked man slam her pregnant Amy into the wall and then come at her unborn baby with a knife, she was seized with a moment of paralyzing terror. Then the Spirit of God combined with adrenaline released her from paralysis. She catapulted up the stairs faster than she thought herself capable and attacked the attacker.

               She saw a flash of silver before she felt the heat and sting on her cheek as she smashed into him. The masked coward stabbed at her again, but she grabbed his knife wielding wrist with both of her hands. With his free arm, he smashed his fist into her nose. She heard a crack a second before she felt the pain and was blinded by a kaleidoscope of blurry. No wonder cartoons show stars over the head when a character has been conked.

               Destiny barely comprehended him trying to strike her again when he stopped and looked at Dirk charging up the stairs. The reprobate fled, but Dirk tended to his unconscious wife as well as Destiny instead of giving chase. For somebody so panicked, Dirk was amazingly smooth and calm. He checked his wife’s pulse and then looked at Destiny horrified. She knew why. She could feel blood streaming over her lips and dripping onto her chest.

               “How bad are you Dee?” Dirk asked as he whipped off his t shirt and gently put it over her knife wounded cheek.

               “I’ll survive, I think,” she moaned as she pressed part of his shirt hard into her cut and another part softer into her nose. “How’s Amy?”

               “She’s got a good pulse,” he replied with intense calm as he scooped Amy up into his arms as if she were light as a pillow. “Let’s get you two to the hospital.”

               Dirk limped as he carried his beautiful, pregnant wife down the stairs and into Bentley Bonnano’s old pickup truck. Destiny followed clutching Dirk’s t shirt to her face. The hospital was a blur. When the emergency room saw a shirtless man carrying an unconscious pregnant woman with a bloody faced woman following, they came to full attention. Brock was stunned when he saw Destiny right after she was stitched up and her nose straightened. She was numbed in more ways than one with whatever narcotics they had given her. Because of her broken nose, she had two black eyes. When she saw the stunned look on Brock’s face, combined with the drugs numbing her pain as well as her brain, she giggled. A relieved look came over his face and he kissed her.

               “Have you seen Amy?” Destiny asked after their lips separated.

               “Yeah, she has a headache, but she and the baby are fine otherwise.”

               “Thank God,” Destiny replied with a sigh, paused and then giggled.

               “Well, you seem to be doing pretty good, considering.”

               “Oh, I’m just fine,” she replied dreamily. “As long as Amy and the baby…” She trailed off as she fell asleep.

               Destiny was concerned with how agitated Brock was in the days following the attack. He was on the phone a lot and she could feel her soul mate’s tension. She knew he was trying to figure out who attacked Amy via FBI agent Nora Medora. She hoped he would leave it up to her to apprehend the culprits. However, a couple of days later when he left with a rare hostile attitude, Destiny checked where Brock thought he had a secret gun hidden.  It was gone. She began to pray in earnest.

               Brock told her everything when he returned. After he confessed how he relished being cruel but stopped himself from his desired violence, he broke down. Destiny had seen Brock weep a couple of times and knew it made him very uncomfortable. But this time, he downright sobbed as he related his temptation to not only kill again, but torture. He described the emotions he felt when he saw what happened to Amy, Dirk and herself. She felt an icy chill run up her spine when he related that Amy’s half-sister, Lexi Gomez, was possibly behind the attack.

               Thankfully Brock turned this aspect over to Nora Medora. Not only was she Brock’s former girlfriend,  but the two former lovers would have married if Nora had agreed. Lucky for Destiny, she got cold feet and left him at the altar. You might think she wouldn’t want Brock associating with his ex, but Nora was a super cop who was married to her career. She couldn’t think of anyone better suited to help them. A couple days after Brock confronted the attackers, Destiny discovered Nora on their doorstep. Although, Destiny kept jealousy at bay, dealing with Nora Medora was not a stroll through a flower garden.

               “How are ya, Dee?” Nora asked as she peeled off aviator sunglasses.

               “Hi Nora, come in,” Destiny invited. “It’s good to see you.”

               “Is it?” She asked as she stepped past her into the Storm’s home. Destiny felt herself flush. Nora’s tough, brisk manner  intimidated her. Nora looked smart in a charcoal colored business suit with a skirt that rose half a foot above her knees showing off her shapely, muscular legs. She had let her glossy black hair grow out just past her shoulders and she wore dark red lipstick. It was the most makeup Destiny had ever seen her wear. Although she was a great looking female, this look was the most feminine she had ever appeared in Destiny’s presence. She was preparing to stammer a reply to Nora when Brock came galloping down the stairs.

               “Hey, Medora,” Brock grinned.

               “Hey, Storm,” Nora smiled coyly.

               “Look at you. What’s this?” He asked as he tugged at a strand of her hair.

               “What’s what?” she replied with a frown as she swatted his hand away.

               “And this?” He said as he grasped her just above the chin and caused her lips to pucker.

               In a flash, Nora twisted Brock’s wrist in unnatural fashion. He groaned loudly and went down on one knee. “Good to see ya,” Brock said with a grimace.

               “You too,” Nora said cheerily as she released him.

               Nora and Brock had been in a relationship for approximately six years. The fact that the two were always more like buddies rather than lovers gave Destiny some comfort.

               “So, I tracked down Lexi Gomez and we had a little chat,” Nora said with hands on her hips. Destiny noticed she wore New Balance running shoes rather than heels. “She claims she had nothing to do with it. The thing is, I believe her. She claims to have cut off ties with Jezebel Black. She also gave me the name and possible location of a guy who has been in contact with Jezebel Black. It turns out this guy has an outstanding warrant for arrest. He happens to be on the F.B.I.’s most wanted list. I’m on my way to brief with a swat team. We hope to arrest this creep tonight.”

               “How can a guy on the F.B.I.’s most wanted list communicate with a woman in federal prison?” Brock asked.

               “Through the cover of other people,” Nora explained. “Including Lexi Gomez. She admitted being a pigeon for her sister and this felon in the past.”

               “Isn’t that a crime?” I asked.

               Nora shrugged. “Her information was critical. Sometimes you have to turn the other cheek with illegal activity if you want to bring justice to more serious crimes. Lexi also claims she never intended her sister Amy to be raped by those four guys a year ago. She says she just wanted them to scare her. She didn’t think the guys would actually assault her.”

               “I was there,” Brock said testily. “Trust me, they had every intention of violently assaulting Amy.”

               “I know,” Nora shrugged. “I’m just saying.”

               “You’re just saying what?” Brock barked. “That we should all give Lexi a big hug and kiss and tell her we see it was just a little prank gone awry?”

               Nora folded her arms and sighed.

               “You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Brock said incredulously.

               “I thought your religion was all about love and forgiveness?” Nora asked.

               “It is, and we do,” Brock said as he frowned and folded his arms. “But that doesn’t mean we have to like, trust, or respect somebody like Lexi Gomez or Jezebel Black. So, tell me this Nora. I’ve known you to be the ultimate cynic and skeptic when it comes to humanity and religion. How come you seem to have somebody like Lexi’s back?”

               “You do know I spent more than a year undercover in Jezebel’s cult,” Nora declared sternly.

               “Yeah, of course,” Brock replied. “What’s your point?”

               “I got to know both of the twisted sisters pretty well,” Nora said sternly. “Somebody like Jezebel is pure evil. Somebody like Lexi is misguided and a lost soul. Tell me. When Jezebel attempted to murder her own sister in a human sacrifice ritual, do you recall Lexi being in attendance?”

               “Well, um, no,” Brock stammered.

               “As a matter of fact,” Nora continued. “I happen to know first hand that as soon as Jezebel and the cult began to make plans to execute Amy, Lexi stopped attending. Not only that, she went to the local authorities and told them about the plan to kidnap and kill Amy.”

               “You’re kidding!” Brock exclaimed. “Why didn’t they do anything? Bentley might still be alive!”

               “Hold on Storm,” Nora said as she closed her eyes and put her hands up in a stop gesture. “You can’t blame the local cops. A known stripper and prostitute comes marching in talking satanic cults and human sacrifice. Plus it was on record that she was suspected of setting up this same sister to be gang raped. To them she was simply a mental case.”

               Brock looked at his wife with a confused expression. “She’s right, honey,” Destiny said.

               “Look, I gotta run,” Nora said as she turned to leave and then spoke over her shoulder as she went through the door. “I’ll let you know as soon as I can how the raid goes down.”

               “Well, she can certainly give a person a lot to think about in a matter of minutes,” Brock said with a dry chuckle.

               “Yes she can,” Destiny mumbled.