Chapter 6
“What I have trouble getting my head around,” Gideon said, settling on the stool near the lineup of mugs. “Is how it even happened in the first place. Why would people let Fairfax take control? Why make him mayor?”
“Desperation. The town was in such a bad way that they were willing to listen to any lies. We opened the door, and he walked right in.”
“You mean because of the drought?”
“Partly.”
“Last time I was here, things were pretty bad, but I was surprised at how desolate it’s become.”
“Most of the surrounding farmland was sold off for pennies because the farmers couldn’t survive, and the land they had wasn’t worth much.”
“Fairfax was the buyer?”
“He was. And for a time, he was everyone’s hero because he’d allow people to stay in their houses for minimal rent if they continued to work the fields where they could. After the farms, it was the businesses. Same deal. He’ll let you keep your job if you work for him. A lot of the homes in Asher are owned by him now too. They elected him mayor. It was hard to deny he was doing good.”
“When did things change?”
“Probably not long after you left last time. Rent went up, and wages dropped. People are barely surviving.”
“I can’t believe no one saw it. Did you know at the time?”
“I had my concerns, but they were mostly because I felt he was steering people farther away from God. Fairfax was very good at pulling the wool over people’s eyes.”
“And no one stood up to him?”
“Sure they did.”
“But no one would listen?”
“Not after Fairfax was done with them. He’d spread rumors around town or even have them arrested if he had no other course of action. Some left. Some shut their mouths and became obedient.”
“How could he arrest people? He’d have to have some evidence.”
“Not when the sheriff is a friend of his. And it never went to court. Putting them in jail for the allowable seventy-two hours before letting them out was plenty. By then, the damage was done. We tried contacting our local congressman, but don’t ask me what happened there because I still don’t understand. Every avenue we’ve tried has been closed to us, and it makes me wonder if God shut the door on this town to teach us all a lesson or something.”
“You think God’s punishing Asher? I wouldn’t expect you to push that whole hellfire and brimstone angle. Your dad didn’t.”
“No, that’s not what I mean. This used to be a God-fearing town. Excuse my old-fashioned language, but it’s true.”
He laughed. “God-fearing town, huh? Have you ever met my father?”
“Not every single person, but there was a time when the church was growing. And even people who didn’t attend still professed to believe in God even if they didn’t want to go out of their way to do anything about it. But things changed. We had some trouble at church. People were grumbling and unhappy with my dad’s leading.”
“What was he doing they didn’t like? Do you know?”
She shrugged. “It would be easier to give you a list of what they didn’t complain about. Some said he shared too many verses in his message, others said not enough. People complained about how many were staying after the service or for how long. A few people left the church at that time, but then the drought started and didn’t relent, and people started turning up again. My dad thought it was an answer to prayer, but then everything got way worse than they ever had.” Her head sagged. “My mom really struggled through that time.”
“I always remember her being a strong woman.”
“She was. Once. But not strong enough to engage in the battle she had to fight. It wounded her. And when she lost my dad—” Her throat closed in emotion.
“I didn’t mean to upset you.”
She shook her head and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “It’s okay. I’ve processed it a lot and have come a long way, believe it or not.”
“How’d your dad handle it? He’d always been so compassionate.”
She huffed a dark laugh. “He tried so hard to keep everyone. He prayed constantly for reconciliation. There were moments he thought he had it, but it was like trying to stop sand from running between his fingers. By the end, he was questioning every move he made, constantly walking on eggshells.” She shook her head. “I remember this one time the church needed to be painted, and a friend of his had donated paint, so one weekend, my dad painted it himself. He knew people were struggling in life and wanted to do something nice. He wanted to lift everyone’s spirits.”
“Uh-oh.”
“At first people thought it was great. But then others started commenting about how the color was all wrong, and he shouldn’t have done that without gaining approval first. They didn’t say that to his face, of course, just to everyone else. But Dad, he kept trying, smiling, encouraging, trying to figure out what he could do differently to fix it. And mom…she knew what they were saying about the man she loved and how hard it all was on him.” Nikki stared off at nothing.
“I don’t know what else to say besides I’m sorry. Your dad may not have been perfect, but I know he cared about people deeply. So, you think that’s what started it all?”
“Who knows. What I do know for sure is that God couldn’t have been happy. If my dad was teaching heresy, sure. If he was abusive, of course people needed to stand against that, but not what they did. That’s around the time Phineas turned up.”
“Phineas. I think I met him at the markets. The medium?”
“That’s him. He started turning up at church.”
“He’s a medium.”
“I know. Dad knew right away that something was off, but he was so charismatic, and a lot of people took to him right away. He started his own home group and started teaching about Old Testament rituals and returning to our roots, and that moved into more mystical teaching. People lapped it up because it made them feel good and put them in control of their own destinies.”
“Is that when the totem poles turned up?”
“No, my dad kept fighting until his last breath, but he was worn out by then. Phineas had a way of smiling to his face while stabbing him in the back. About six months after that, he had his heart attack, and with no pastor, the wolves dropped their disguise and exposed themselves for who they were. They devoured the sheep. Most of the church left and started following this idea of a greater power than God. Then it rained for a couple of days. They took that as proof. The mayor paid to have the totem poles constructed. ‘To give people hope for the future and better times ahead,’ he said. ”
“Wasn’t there someone else to step in at the church? What about the denomination? Surely they could have done something.”
“We were nondenominational. It didn’t start out that way, but they wanted my dad to move out of town to a different church. He wouldn’t go.”
“And you got to keep the church building?”
“We’d been meeting in the town hall till then. That church was built by the congregation and put into a trust that still stands.”
“I can’t believe I didn’t know any of that. But what now? It rained for a second, but then it stopped. How can they still believe?”
“People will tell themselves whatever they need to in order to get by. Like those who continue to believe Mayor Fairfax still has the town’s best interest in mind.”
“Why don’t you leave?”
“My mom doesn’t want to go. She was born and raised in this town. She’s scared to go anywhere else, and I won’t leave her.”
“I wish there was something I could do to help.”
She twisted her fingers around each other. “You do?”
“Of course. It’s terrible seeing what you’re all going through.”
“What if there was something?”
“Like what?”
She hesitated. “Do you still believe in God?”
He narrowed his eyes, but it was innocently meant. “Do I Still believe? I thought you said you remember me. I wasn’t a good kid. ”
“I know.” Her cheeks reddened. “But I heard you.”
“Heard me what?”
“When you were at our house in the middle of the night meeting with my dad. I should have been asleep, but I wasn’t.”
“Oh. I remember that night. I was mess.”
“I know. At that age, I couldn’t fully understand what it was that you faced growing up, but I knew something really important had happened. I sat on the steps and cried.”
He nodded. “I owe your dad a lot. He never pressured me to start coming to church once I’d given my life to Jesus. I don’t think I could have. I carried so much shame back then. But he looked after me and encouraged me. He gave me my first Bible, which I still have.”
“That’s really nice. So, you don’t go to church?”
“I do now. But I couldn’t face it back then in Asher. Not when I knew what everyone thought of me.”
“You would have been welcome. Back then, church was great. It was after you left that things went downhill.”
“They may have been welcoming, but I couldn’t have dealt with it. God’s actually the reason I came back to town.” He saw Nikki’s sharp intake of breath. “It’s shocking, I know.”
She shifted on her stool. “So, you believe God sent you here?”
“In a manner of speaking.”
“Do you know why?”
“Yeah. My dad. My brother said he was fine after the stroke, but I couldn’t stop thinking about him and couldn’t ignore the pull I felt to return. I didn’t want to come, but God wouldn’t leave me alone. I’ve been running away for a long time. I’m long overdue to face some stuff I’ve been putting off before I lose him.”
“And how’s that going?”
“About as good as I expected. Which is to say, it’s going poorly. But I’m being obedient.”
“Do you think maybe God brought you back for more than that?”
She sounded like she was choosing her words carefully, but he couldn’t imagine why. “Was there something specific you had in mind?”
She shrugged. “This town’s in trouble. Maybe you could…I don’t know. Pray. Or something.”
“I could. I will. Even after I go, I promise I’ll keep praying.”
“After you go.”
“Was that the wrong answer?”
“No, of course not. I know praying is powerful.”
“I never came back intending to stay long.”
“I know. I just haven’t had anyone to talk to about this stuff for a while, and it’s been a long couple of years. I have to keep reminding myself to not grow weary in doing good.”
“For in due time you shall reap a harvest. I don’t have a lot of verses memorized, but I do know that one. But what if God doesn’t do what you want?”
“What do you think I want?”
“It sounds to me like you want this town to get better. But what if you were right about God turning away? What if He’s going to let this town run itself into the ground?”
“That doesn’t mean there aren’t people here worth saving.”
“That’s not what I meant, although after everything you told me, I’m surprised to hear you say that.” He straightened. “I just had an idea.”
She mirrored his posture. “Yeah?”
“What if I talked to your mom? Maybe someone outside of her family encouraging her to get away would convince her to leave—you don’t look convinced.”
“Maybe you could, but it’s not only my mom. She’s just the easiest way to explain it without too many questions being asked.”
“What other reason could there be for you staying?”
“It’s not because I don’t want to go, but every time I look for a way out, God keeps telling me to stay put.”
“You’re sure about that?”
She laughed but didn’t say anything, then her face fell. He hated seeing her down. There had to be a way to fix it.
“I really think you should try again,” he said. “You can’t stay here. It’s not good for you or for your mom.”
Nikki stood abruptly. “Don’t. Don’t do that to me.”
She walked back out into the garden, and Gideon followed, keeping a safe distance.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m not trying to make things worse. I’m just trying to be practical.”
When she turned, her cheeks were wet with tears. “Don’t you think I want to take her away from here more than anything else? It breaks my heart to stay, but I have to be obedient—like you were in coming here. And no matter what these people did to my dad, God doesn’t want them to suffer. He wants them to return to him. And every time I argue with God about it and tell Him they aren’t worth it, He reminds me of Jesus on the cross saying ‘Forgive them. They know not what they do.’ And my heart breaks into a thousand pieces.” She pressed her hands against her face as she cried. “I’m sorry.” She sniffed. “I didn’t mean to fall apart. I’ve been holding it together for so long.”
Gideon wanted to go to her and comfort her, but they were still mostly strangers. “Then tell me what I can do in a practical sense while I’m here. There has to be something more than praying. Whether it’s their fault or not, this town is struggling. How can I help you, or anyone else?”
“You want to do something practical?” She used her sleeve to clean her face.
“Yes.”
“Do you have any practical skills? I know you were in the special forces, so I’m tempted to ask you to go intimidate the mayor, but…I don’t think that’s what God wants. However, I’m open to it.”
“I was never—I’d prefer something less military.” He wasn’t ready to open that can of worms yet.
“You came to help your dad. I take it that means you’re willing to spend time with him?”
“Yes, but I don’t see how that helps anyone.”
“You can help others by helping him. He’s been doing favors around town. Under the radar, of course. I don’t know if he told you, but you would have noticed his shop is closed. Or it looks that way.”
“He told me about it, but I find it hard to believe he would help anyone with anything. He’s never been the generous type.”
“People change. Maybe he likes being useful for once. Maybe he’s tired of being known as the town drunk.”
“So, you’re telling me he actually helps people?”
“Not everyone can afford to pay. I’ve heard from several people that he worked on their cars for free or for payment other than cash. But since the stroke, he’s obviously very limited. If you were willing to be his assistant, maybe he could do more. Or did you learn anything about mechanics growing up?”
He smiled ironically. He knew more than he’d like to let on. “I did. I know some.”
“Great. Then you could help out around the town doing what he can’t. But you’ll need your dad to tell you who’s safe and who’s not. If Fairfax finds out…you’ll both be in trouble.”
“Okay, yeah. I was going to help him get his business set up so he could do it easier. This is great. I feel like we’re getting somewhere now. I know it’s not a permanent fix, but at least I won’t be sitting around twiddling my thumbs while I’m here.”
Her mouth screwed to the side as she chewed on the inside of her cheek. “How long do you think you’ll stay?”
“At first, I had hoped it wouldn’t be longer than a few days, but things haven’t worked out how I’d hoped. It looks like I’ll probably be around for a week or two instead.”
“Oh.”
“It’s more than I intended.”
“I know. And you didn’t come expecting to get caught up in the town’s drama. Your life isn’t here. One or two weeks will be very much appreciated.”
“I’m sorry I can’t do more.”
“No, it’s fine. There’s not much anyone can do anyway. It’s up to God, really.” He could see she wanted to say more, but she started walking toward the house. “I have work to do. I’ve got an order I need to get ready, so I’ll say goodbye for now.”
“Isn’t your office back that way?”
Her steps stuttered, but she didn’t stop. “The paperwork’s inside. I’ll walk you to the door.”
He stood abandoned in the backyard, confused by her abrupt exit, unsure how he could have given her false hope of him sticking around. But he’d made himself clear now. Two weeks was his max. It shouldn’t take longer than that to get done what he needed.