Jensen’s father was tall, lean, and terrifying. Always scowling or scolding someone. He reached our car and opened Mom’s door, tipping his head in hello.
“Oh, thank you.” I don’t think she’d planned to get out of the car but now she had no choice.
I stepped out too. Jensen took his time collecting his things, and finally shuffled over to join us. His father immediately gripped the back of Jensen’s neck, holding him still.
“Did he behave?” Mr. Killgore asked.
Suddenly, it felt like we were all on trial.
“Oh yes!” My mother was quick to answer. Her hands fisted at her sides. With wide eyes and pursed lips, she stared at where Mr. Killgore was gripping Jensen’s neck. “Jensen’s always so well-behaved. It’s a pleasure to have him with us.”
If only she knew what a little shit he could be when he wanted to.
As if he’d had the same thought, Jensen tilted his head and caught my eye, a slight smirk curling one corner of his mouth. I stuffed my hands in my pockets and held in my laughter.
“You can tell me,” Mr. Killgore insisted.
“I absolutely would,” my mother answered in a firmer tone. “But he’s always polite and respectful.”
His father grunted and released Jensen. “Good.”
Jensen shook off the rough treatment and scanned the yard. Looking for his little sister, I figured. I spotted her clinging to an old metal climbing frame that looked like it’d come straight from a school’s playground after fifty years of intense use. He marched over and plucked her off the metal bars. Her loud squeal of delight echoed over the yard as he spun her in a circle before setting her down. She toddled through the grass to one of the women corralling the goats. Her purple overalls and brightly striped long-sleeved T-shirt stood out against the dry grass. No bonnets and pilgrim dresses for Jezzie yet.
“We were, uh, planning to visit my brother in a couple weeks,” Mom said, drawing my attention to Mr. Killgore again. “He lives about an hour north. We’d love to have Jensen join us if that’s okay?”
“North where?”
“Outside Bent Rock.”
“Good. Not the city. You should stay clear of all unholy cities. God has already determined the cities will fall.” He shook one long, bony finger in my mother’s face. “We either play by the Lord’s rules or Hell is our consequence.”
Jensen stepped up next to me and punched my arm as if to punctuate his father’s mini sermon.
“Oh, yes.” Mom nodded in vigorous agreement. “My husband and I would love to find a place like this out in the country.” She pulled me closer and ruffled my hair. “So Logan could be closer to nature.”
I squinted up at her. We had a perfectly fine backyard with plenty of nature in our normal, not-weird neighborhood.
My gaze skittered to all the other folks roaming around the property. Jensen was never clear if they were relatives, farmhands, or what.
“You’re welcome to attend our prayer meetings anytime. Bring Logan so he can get to know the other boys better. Your husband is of course also welcomed.”
Didn’t sound very welcoming to me.
“Thank you so much,” my mother gushed as she edged toward our car. “We already attend Valley Christian over in North Creek.”
We did? As far as I remembered, our family hadn’t been inside a church since Grandma Randall passed away.
He grunted. “That’s good. A good start.”
“Well, I need to get home and start dinner…” My mother pushed me toward the car.
“Bye, Jensen!” I called out. “See you Monday!”
He returned a half-hearted wave, collected his little sister, and stomped into the house.
Now that it was just the two of us, I climbed into the front seat.
My mother didn’t speak until she stopped the car at the end of the driveway. “Lord, that man gives me the willies.” She pressed her hand to her chest and briefly closed her eyes. “Poor Jensen.”
His dad gave me the willies too. Always popping out of nowhere, preaching scary Bible quotes. Not that my own dad was a prize, but at least there were no lectures about hellfire in my home.
As we turned onto the road leading back to civilization, my stomach knotted. I glanced at the clock. Why was fear doing backflips in my stomach? We’d be home on time. I stared at the road ahead, willing the dread to go away.
“Mom, do you ever want to keep driving? Stay on the highway and see where it takes you? Leave everything behind?” I knew I sure did. Like, right now.
She glanced over at me. “I’d never leave you. What makes you ask that?”
Never knowing what mood Dad will be in when we get home.
“I dunno.” I shrugged.
“Soon, you’ll be old enough to follow the road wherever it takes you. I hope you’re still friends with Jensen, so you can get him out of that house,” she said under her breath, but I still caught the words.