Waiting for Sunrise by Eva Marie Everson Read Free Book Online Page A

tried real hard to make Daddy happy.
    “She’s gone,” he heard Mama say.
    “Gone where?” And then Daddy used those words Mama said she’d best not ever hear out of Billy or Harold or she’d wash their mouths out with soap. “. . . better not be off spending the night with one of her girlfriends when she knows we got to get to church in the morning and you need her help with the boys.”
    There was a long sigh of quiet. Then Mama said, “I sent her off.” Right out of her mouth like that.
    “What do you mean you sent her off?” Daddy’s voice was low and it scared Billy.
    “Be mad if you want to,” Mama said, her voice sounding all strong. Not like Billy usually heard his mama when she was talking to Daddy. She was bossy enough during the workweek when Daddy was gone, but just as soon as he came home . . .
    “Harold,” Billy whispered one more time. Still nothing.
    Mama kept talking. “Don’t think I don’t know the kind of looks you’ve been giving my girl. I sent her off somewhere you’ll never be able to get at her. No more whippings, Ira. No more . . . looks .”
    Billy wondered what that meant. What was so bad about Daddy looking at Patsy? A man had to look, didn’t he, if he wanted to talk to someone?
    The bad words started again. And then the hitting. Daddy hit to keep Mama in line. That’s what he told Billy and Harold one time when Harold had asked. Harold seemed okay with the answer. But Billy didn’t much care for it.
    “Harold!”
    This time Harold opened his eyes. “Daddy hitting on Mama again?” he asked.
    “Yeah.”
    “She musta done something to deserve it, then.”
    “Mama is good, Harold. She don’t do things bad.”
    “Daddy says all the time he’s gotta keep her in line. So I know. Now go to sleep, Billy. You know what will happen if we get in the middle of it.”
    Billy sure did. When Daddy had told him and Harold about keeping Mama in line, Billy had asked, “Do you spank her ’cause she’s done something bad? Like sometimes Patsy does and you have to whup her?”
    “That’s right, boy.” Daddy reached down and ruffled Billy’s hair like he’d done something right. “And when I do, you best stay out of it or I’ll wear your rear end out too.”
    Billy didn’t want that. No-siree-bob.
    “Mama’s not fighting back,” he now whispered to Harold. “Not even crying this time.”
    “Go back to sleep,” Harold said. He flipped onto his side opposite Billy and pulled the bedcovers over his head before slipping the pillow out from under his head and bringing it down over his ear.
    “Maybe we should pray for Mama,” Billy suggested. But Harold was having none of his words.
    Billy slipped back under the covers, mimicking his brother’s actions. “Dear Jesus,” he said, hoping it was loud enough for the good Lord to hear. “Please don’t let Daddy hurt Mama too bad tonight.” Curse words reached his ears again and he swallowed hard. “And be with Patsy . . . wherever she is.”

5
    To be situated in such a small town, Trinity Methodist Church certainly was a grand structure. A total of twelve red brick steps led to the four-columned portico and double doorway. Inside the vestibule, a wide mahogany and marble table displayed a large gilded Bible under a massive framed copy of Sallman’s The Head of Christ . On both sides of the Bible were gold candlesticks holding thick, flickering candles and on both sides of the table were another set of double doors opening into the high-ceilinged sanctuary.
    Patsy thought it the most beautiful display of Christianity she’d ever seen.
    Immense stained-glass windows lined the sides of the room. At the front of the church, behind a three-sided pulpit, hung a cross so large, Patsy feared that should it fall, it would do considerable damage.
    The long pews ran down the middle of the room with an aisle along both sides. Like the pulpit, they were made of mahogany. They sat hard, but it was a small price to pay,