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Sabella & Malcolm

By: mspat



CHAPTER 1

"Come on girl," Sabella Jamison called to her best friend and sister Regina. "I'm going to be late picking up my baby.

"I'm coming," Regina replied smiling at how excited Sabella was. "I don't understand why you're in such a hurry. You've got Mr. Stephens so scared of you, he wouldn't dare close his lot for the night before you got there."

"I'm not taking any chances," Sabella said. "I expect them to be ready to hand over the keys the moment I get there, so I'm going to do my part and arrive on time. So get your butt in gear, so we can leave now and not get caught up in rush hour traffic on 285."

"I don't know if I should take you after you told my baby your goddaughter, she couldn't ride in your new car until she learns to eat without a bib," Regina said fighting the urge to laugh.

"Don't get mad at me," Sabella said. "I told your husband, my brother the same thing. Where do you think your daughter gets her messy genes?"

"Mark is still stinging from that one," Regina said as they climbed into her car. "You were wrong saying that to your brother."

"The truth will set you free," Sabella said buckling up her seatbelt. "Mark is well known for eating and driving at the same time. I cringe every time I get in the car with him, and he pulls up to a drive through window and orders a combo-meal. Then after he gets it, he lays it out on the seat beside him like, he's sitting at home at the dining room table and starts to eat. And I don't even want to talk about when he does if he isn't driving. Ugh!"

"Lay off my man," Regina said laughing so hard tears were rolling down her cheeks. "He just enjoys his food."

"Your man is a menace on the road," Sabella said laughing by this time herself. "And he's messy. That's why he and lil messy won't be riding in my 2009. Not until they learn to eat without advertising what they've eaten all over their clothes."

"I should make you find someone else to take you to pick up your baby," Regina said teasingly.

"But you won't because you're just as anxious as I am to see what my baby looks like," Sabella said giving her sister a knowing smile.

"You got that right," Regina said starting up her car.

When they reached the car lot Sabella jumped out of Regina's car, as soon as she put it in park and made her way to the inside. Mr. Stephens the owner of the car lot smiled and made his way over to her the moment she entered.

"Hello, Ms. Jamison," he said walking over to Sabella.

"Hello, Mr. Stephens," Sabella replied. "Is my baby ready.

"Yes," Mr. Stephens said laughing at the way Sabella was trying not to jump around like a child anxiously waiting to receive a new toy. "Its waiting for you in the garage. Follow me."

Sabella and Regina followed Mr. Stephens into the garage.

"What do you think?" Mr. Stephens asked pointing to her car.

"It's beautiful," Sabella said making her way over to her 2009 Solar Flare Metallic colored Hummer H2.

"Nobody's gonna miss with that whacked out color," Regina murmured.

"You're just jealous," Sabella said tempted to stick her tongue out at her sister. Regina opened the door and looked inside the huge car she called a tank.

"You've got this thing blinged with every option you could get on it," Regina remarked.

"I know," Sabella said laughing. "I couldn't help myself. Once I saw all the extras I could get on it, I couldn't stop. Of course all the things Mr. Stephens threw in for free helped defray the cost."

"It's not everyday we get a cash customer," Mr. Stephens said. "Or a customer who negotiates as well as Ms. Jamison."

Mr. Stephens was smiling but he hoped he never got another customer like Sabella Jamison again. He remembered the mental happy dance he did when she walked into his dealership. 

He had her pegged as a dim-witted woman who was only interested in a car that would crank up when she put the key in the ignition, looked pretty and would take her where she wanted to go. 

But the questions she asked him about the car she was looking to purchase let him know that he had seriously misread Sabella Jamison.

The woman was Stephens' worse nightmare an informed customer who knew what she wanted. He was making a profit on the vehicle she was purchasing but not as big as he wanted. He got ill when he thought about all the extras he threw in order to get her to purchase the car from him. 

Which he would've been able to recoup through hidden charges if she would've financed the car through him instead of paying cash. 

No, he didn't make as much money as he expected when he sold the car to Sabella, but he had to admire the woman and her determination to get the kind of car, she wanted at the price she was willing to pay.

"You're ready to go," Mr. Stephens said to Sabella as she took the papers for her new car from his hands.

He laughed when she took the papers from his hand and almost ran back to the garage to claim the hulking, gas guzzling vehicle she lovingly called "her baby."

"It's all mine," Sabella cheered when she rejoined Regina in the garage shaking the keys he held in her hands, a smile nearly splitting her face in half.

Regina laughed as she watched her sister stand in one place, move her feet up and down like a cork ready to pop out of a bottle.

"I'm going to assume you're happy," Regina said teasing Sabella.

"No," Sabella said teasing back, "I'm a little depressed.

"Come on," Regina said, "your brother is biting at the bit waiting to see you drive up in this gas guzzling monstrosity. He has talked about this car for a week dropping hints about us getting one."

There was a hint of anger in Regina's voice which Sabella chose to ignore because she wasn't going to let a problem between the married couple ruin her happiness.

"Thank you for bringing me to pick up my baby," she told Regina throwing her arms round her friend.

"You're welcome," Regina said. "I'm glad you and your baby are finally together."

"I'm going to load her up with everything I'll need for my trip," Sabella said rubbing her hand over the body of her new car as she walked around it. "I can't wait to get her on the open road."

"You'll probably use a tank of gas driving from here to my house," Regina remarked.

"That reminds me," Sabella said walking over to the manager of the garage. Regina watched as Sabella talked to the man. He handed her an envelope and Sabella hugged him.

"I went over to talk to the garage manager to make sure, they filled up my gas tank as Mr. Stephens promised. He said he did, then he handed me this gift card for one hundred gallons of gas," Sabella said the tone of her voice showing her surprise.

"You're kidding," Regina said her voice showing that she was just as surprised as Sabella at what the manager had done.

"The manager said, Mr. Stephens said it was a gift for teaching him a lesson," Sabella said. "You are so lucky," Regina said, "I've never known anyone to be as lucky as you are."

"I'm not lucky," Sabella said.

"Girl please," Regina said. "Only you could miss out on a scholarship to Princeton only to wind up getting it because the person they gave it to no longer qualifies for it, and how many people do you know who could finish their internship fill out one application and get the job they want on the first interview, and how many people would get their dream job, request a six month delay in starting and get it."

"They're just giving me time to take care of things down her and get situated in Texas," Sabella said.

"Why are you moving so far away?" Regina asked.

"I need a change Gina," Sabella said calling her friend by her nickname. "I need a place where I can really start my life on my own."

"You mean without your big brother looking over your shoulder?" Regina asked.

"You got it," Sabella said moving over to the driver's side of her Hummer, opening the door, climbing inside, buckling up and starting the engine. "I'll follow you home."

"You better stop by a service station," Regina said teasing her sister, "because you're going to need to fill up."

Sabella stuck her tongue out at her best friend and the two women were soon on their way.

A week later Sabella was putting the last of her things into her baby, and she was preparing to say goodbye to her brother Mark, his wife/her best friend Regina and her niece and namesake Little Sabella.

They stood in the driveway of the house she sold three weeks before she was scheduled to leave, her brother trying to be a man and not cry, her sister allowing her tears to flow instead of holding them inside and her niece reaching out to her demanding that Sabella take her into her arms.

"She doesn't want you to go," Regina said passing little Sabella to her Aunt. "None of us want you to go."

"Don't do this Gina," Sabella pleaded, "don't make it hard for me to go please."

"I'm sorry," Regina said reaching over and giving Sabella a hug. "I'm going to miss you. Who am I going to talk to when Mark does something that drives me crazy or upsets me?"

"You can call me," Sabella said joining her friend crying. "I'm going to another state, not another country."

"But you're going to be so far away," Regina said her tears falling faster. "It might as well be another country."

"I'll come home for the holidays and you, Mark and Little Sabella can come and visit me."

"I'm still going to miss you," Regina said sadly.

"Will the two of you stop it?" Mark said laughing at his wife and sister being so emotional. "Sabella's not going to get around the corner before she changes her mind and comes back here asking if she can stay with us while she looks for another place to live."

"I'm really leaving Mark," Sabella said she didn't want to take away her brother's hope that she would stay, but she wanted him to know that she was really leaving. "I'm going to Texas, I have a job waiting for me, and I've purchased a home. I'm not changing my mind this time." 

"Sure you are," Mark said. "Regina is cooking steak for dinner. I'll be sure she fixes you a plate and keeps it warm until you get back."

Mark had a good reason to doubt that Sabella would actually leave the state of Georgia because she had made numerous attempts at being on her own only to end up back at her parents home or her brother's home. 

The only time she actually moved out and stayed any length of time was when she moved into the house she'd just sold with her boyfriend Edward Overton, but their relationship ended when Edward said it was too much like being married but without the sex.

Edward ending their relationship didn't upset Sabella, she was glad when it happened. The only reason she agreed to move in with him when he suggested it was because she was trying to shed her goody-two shoes image and shock her family and friends by showing them that she could do something unexpected. 

Their reaction to her little stunt wasn't what she expected at all, her parents were so stunned her mother fainted and her father wanted to go next door and borrow their next door neighbor's shotgun and would've done it if Mark hadn't held him back. 

Mark after calming his father down grabbed Edward by the neck and started choking him and probably would've killed him if his father hadn't grabbed him and pulled his hand from around Edward's neck. 

Edward ran out of the house, jumped into his car and sped away after Mark released him. Her family accepted her decision to live with Edward when she convinced them, it was what she really wanted to do, and she was not trying to be a rebel. 

The sour taste of that easy lie still fills her mouth when she thinks about it.

She and Edward lived together happily for about three months when Edward started dropping hints about living like a monk. Sabella gave him her standard reply that she wasn't really ready to have sex, and she reminded Edward of his promise to wait until she was ready. 

That held him at bay until a month later he asked her the ultimate question; would she ever be ready?

Sabella didn't have to verbally answer the question, the look in her eyes told him everything he needed to know. 

No, she wouldn't ever be ready. Edward didn't say anything that night he just got up, left the room, went upstairs, packed a suitcase and left. Later that night he sent her an email telling her to sell the house and to mail him his half using his job address. 

Their house had increased in value during the short time they lived in it and the improvements they made increased the house's value even more enabling Sabella to purchase her dream car, and make the move to Texas where she would be starting her new job and life that her brother didn't think she was serious about.

"She's really leaving Mark," Regina said her voice bringing Sabella out of her thoughts. Mark looked at his sister, and he saw the truth of his wife's words in her eyes.

"You're really leaving?" he asked his tone still refusing to believe.

"Yes," Sabella said her voice letting her brother know that she was serious, "I'm really leaving."

"I'm going to miss you," Mark said walking over and giving his sister a hug.

"I'm going to miss you too," Sabella said wiping tears from her eyes after her brother released her from his embrace.

"I want you to call me everyday until you reach your destination," Mark said.

"It's less than a ten hour drive, Mark," Sabella said. "I'll call you later tonight when I get to Tyler."

Sabella gave her brother, sister/best friend, and niece one last hugs, climbed into her baby, got comfortable, buckled up her seatbelt, started her baby up, checked her mirror, slipped her homemade cd of golden oldies into the cd player, shifted the car into drive, released the emergency brakes and drove out of the driveway of the house that used to be home to head to the new home where she would start her new life in Texas.

Mark watched his sister drive away sending up a silent prayer as he did to god asking that he watch over her and keep her safe. He also prayed that she some find the happiness she was looking for along the way.

Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 02



"I'm going to kill that bitch," Sabella said as she ran through her brand new home trying to escape the rain coming down through the leaky roof overhead. 

"I'll never purchase a house online again as long as I live."

Sabella wanted to kick her own butt for not having the house inspected like she knew she should have, but she saw no reason not to trust a woman she'd known all her life and went to elementary, middle and high schools with. 

She never expected her friend to deceive or cheat her and yet that is what happened. Everything Gloria Reed told Sabella about the house she saw online and purchased was a lie. 

The house wasn't perfect and was in need of many major, and very expensive repairs. The roof wasn't brand new, the structure wasn't as sound as that lying bitch said it was and the house had wood rot everywhere the termites weren't making a meal. 

Sabella made her way to the garage where she had parked her baby praying that the roof over the garage wasn't in the same condition has the house's roof. It was. 

She unlocked the door of her Hummer, as the rain pounded her body hitting the sheet she'd thrown over her head to keep from getting wet, that was totally useless against the rain, and climbed inside slamming the door shut behind her. Once inside she rested her head against the headrest, closed her eyes and tried to hold back the tears that were trying to fall. 

This wasn't how Sabella pictured spending her first night in her new home. She was planning on going out tomorrow and purchasing new furniture, curtains and other things to decorate her new sanctuary but thanks to a conniving, lying, low life, bitch, she wasn't going to be able to do that now because, she didn't even have to place to live. 

Sabella sat in her baby, in her garage watching the rain fall as she felt the tears she had been fighting to keep from falling formed in the corners of her eyes and roll down her cheeks. 

The rain started coming down harder and it started thundering and lightening. Needing someone to talk to she pulled out her cell phone intending on calling her brother, but changed her mind when she thought about how worried he would be about her if she called him sounding so upset, and as if she had been crying. 

She decided to call him in the morning when she had better control of her emotions. Since she couldn't do anything about her situation tonight Sabella made herself comfortable and settled down for the night. 

The sound of a loud clap of thunder and a lightening strike that sounded so close by, almost made her change her mind about staying in the garage and go stay in a hotel instead, but she decided she would be safe where she was as long as she kept her doors locked and her cell phone in hand, so she settled down, closed her eyes and tried to sleep.

The next morning Sabella opened the door and climbed out of her baby, she wiped her eyes and stretched the kinks out of her body from sleeping in the cramp space inside her baby. 

As she came out of her stretch, she noticed two things, her feet were on grass and the sun was shining directly on her which shouldn't be because she was parked inside her garage. 

Sabella looked around and realized that her feet were on grass and the sun was shining directly on her because she was standing in a field and not in her garage, because her garage had disappeared or she and her baby had been moved.

Sabella walked around her Hummer looking for an explanation to why she was no longer in her garage. She didn't find or see anything that would answer her question.

"What the hell is going on?" she asked out loud as she completed a circle around her baby.

"That's what I want to know." Sabella turned to see a blonde giant of a man sitting on a horse pointing a shotgun at her.

"How did you and that contraption get on my property?" the blonde giant asked still pointing the shotgun at her.

For a few seconds Sabella was too stunned and afraid to say anything, she just stood there and stared at the giant praying that he wouldn't shoot her.

"I'm talking to you, girl," the giant said.

The word girl pushed all the fear Sabella was feeling to the back of her mind, to be replaced by anger. Sabella's back went straight and rigid, and she looked the giant in the eyes as she spoke to him.

"I'm going to assume since you didn't ask that you have no interest in knowing my name," she said her voice showing no sign of fear, "and that is your right, but you have no right to call me girl anymore than I have to call you boy even though that is the way you're behaving."

"You're on my land uninvited," the blonde giant said, getting down off his horse and walking over to the colored woman who had the nerve to stand up to him. "I'll call you whatever the hell I want. Now you're going to answer my question and tell me how you manage to get on my property without being seen, or you can explain it to the Sheriff." 

Not trusting the blonde giant or liking the look in his eyes as he spoke to her, Sabella backed up towards her baby determined to get inside and lock the doors before blondie could get close enough to her to put his hands on her. 

She had almost made it to the passenger side door when her back hit something solid. From the mixture of Lifebouy and Listerine that she could smell, she bet it was a man.

"Going somewhere little lady?" a husky voice asked from behind her.

Sabella jumped and turned around to see another giant of a man with dark brown hair standing behind her with his hands on his hips looking like the jolly green giant.

"I don't want any trouble," she said switching her attention between the two giants, "I just want to get into my car and be on my way."

"That contraption belongs to you?" the brown haired giant asked.

"Yes," Sabella replied.

"How can a colored girl afford such an expensive car?" the brown haired giant asked looking at Sabella suspiciously.

"That's none of your business," Sabella said copying his stance by placing her hand on her hips, "and if either of you call me, girl again we're going to have a problem."

"And what problem is that?" the brown haired giant asked putting his hand out to touch Sabella's shoulder.

When he attempted to touch Sabella all the lessons she learned in self-defense classes and her training in judo, karate and tae kwon do came into play.

Before he could touch her Sabella took told of the brown haired giant's hand and threw him over her shoulder. 

The blonde haired giant watch in stunned amazement as the woman threw his partner over her shoulder and sent him slamming down onto the ground.

Sabella made her way over to the passenger side door of her baby, opened the door, jumped inside and locked the door. She was about to put her key in the ignition and be on her way when she heard a gun shot.

Sabella didn't move.

"I'll give you til three to open the door," the blonde giant said the tone of his voice letting Sabella know he meant what he was saying to her, "if you don't open the door I'm going to put a round of buckshot in your engine."

Sabella looked at him but she didn't move.

"One," the blonde giant said as he began moving around the front of Sabella's baby his gun aimed at her.

Sabella still didn't move.

"Two," the blonde giant said still standing in front of Sabella's baby his gun now aimed at the engine.

He was about to say three when Sabella reached over and unlocked the passenger door.

The blonde giant opened the passenger door and called to the brown haired giant.

"Frank take Sundown and follow us back to the house," the blonde giant ordered. "I'm going to ride with our lady guest."

"Do you think that's a wise thing to do Malcolm?" Frank asked looking suspiciously at Sabella. "You don't' know anything about her."

"I don't think the lady will try anything," Malcolm said looking over at the woman sitting in the driver's seat. "If she does try anything I'll just have to deal with her, and she doesn't want me to have to that. Do you Miss?"

Sabella didn't say anything in response to his question completely ignoring him even though she didn't like the sarcastic tone in his voice when he said "Miss."

"You will do exactly as I say, or I'll make you sorry," Malcolm said as he closed the passenger side door. "Start the engine."

Sabella started the engine, put the car in drive and drove off heading towards Malcolm's home.

It took them fifteen minutes following Malcolm's directions for them to reach their destination. As they approached the house Sabella couldn't believe her eyes. 

The house they were pulling up to was the leaky, rotten, money pit she had purchased online but there was something different about the house. 

It looked new and that couldn't be because the bitch who sold her the house told her the house was built in 1953 making the house fifty-six years old. The house in front of her looked as if it was just recently built.

"Is this your house?" Sabella asked.

"Yes," Malcolm replied.

"When was it built?" Sabella asked.

"You're being mighty nosy for a trespasser," Malcolm remarked.

"Just making conversation, " Sabella replied.

"It was built a year ago," Malcolm said.

"What!" Sabella said slamming on her brakes, sending Malcolm head first into the dashboard.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Malcolm asked righting himself and pointing his shotgun at Sabella.

"Nothing is wrong," Sabella lied taking her hands off the steering wheel and holding her hands up in the air. "I'm just nervous, I'm sorry."

"What's wrong boss?" Frank asked riding up to the passenger side window.

"Nothing is wrong," Malcolm said his shotgun still trained on Sabella. 

"Why did you stop?" Frank asked.

"I got a cramp in my leg from sleeping in the car all night," Sabella said, "I was trying to work it out while my foot was on the brake."

"Everything is alright, Frank," Malcolm reassuring his employee and friend, "we're going to continue our way up to the house, and we won't have anymore trouble. Will we?" Malcolm said looking at Sabella.

"No," Sabella said, "there'll be no more cramps."

As they started towards the house once more Sabella took the time to take in her surroundings. 

That was when she noticed that the neighborhood that once surrounded her house was gone. The house she purchased was now the only house for miles around.

'What is going on?' she asked herself. 'Where are the other houses? Where are the other families that lived in the neighborhood? Where is the paved road?'

A cold chill ran through Sabella's body as they got closer to the house and she noticed that the tree standing in front of the house that was diseased, dead, and leafless in 2009, was now healthy and strong and had leaves filling the branches.

"Head towards the garage," Malcolm said bring her out of her thoughts.

Sabella headed towards the garage.

"Turn off the engine and get out," Malcolm said.

"Please," Sabella pleaded, "let me leave. I'm sorry I trespassed on your property. If you let me go, I promise to never come on your property again."

"Get out," Malcolm said his voice letting Sabella know that he expected her to do as he ordered.

"Why won't you let me go?" Sabella asked.

"I'm not going to tell you again," Malcolm said.

Sabella turned off the engine and exited her baby.

Frank joined them in the garage.

"Take her luggage out of the back," Malcolm said to Frank, "and take it upstairs and place it in the guest bedroom."

"The guest bedroom," Frank said surprised that Malcolm would choose let her stay in his guest bedroom.

"Yes," Malcolm said, "the guest bedroom."

Frank went to the rear of the Hummer and tried to open it but he couldn't because it was locked.

"Open it," Malcolm order Sabella.

Sabella pressed the button on her remote control key chain that opened the trunk.

Frank heard the latch release and watched as the rear compartment of the strange vehicle unlocked and opened slightly.

"Well I'll be," he said as he lifted the rear door and got his first glance of the inside of the Hummer.

Frank reached in and began unloading Sabella's luggage. After he'd removed the luggage he saw the medical supplies backed in the back.

"Malcolm you need to see this," he called out.

Malcolm went to the rear of the strange vehicle and couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Are you a nurse?" he asked Sabella.

"No, I'm a doctor," Sabella said. "I'm taking the medical supplies to a friend of mine whose opening her own clinic."

"What kind of doctor are you?" Malcolm asked.

"Primary Care Physician," Sabella replied.

"Is there anything else you need in there?" Malcolm asked pointing at the car.

Sabella reached inside and retrieved her purse and the carrying case containing her laptop.

"Let's go," Malcolm said.

"What're you going to do with my vehicle?" Sabella asked.

"I haven't decided yet," Malcolm said.

"It's my vehicle," Sabella said, "I have a right to know what you plan on doing with it."

"You only have a right to what I tell you," 

Malcolm said, "and right now I'm telling you to get in the house."

Before they left the garage Sabella used her remote to lock the door.

"What did you do?" Malcolm asked after hearing the clicking sound the car made when she pointed her keys at it.

"I locked it," Sabella replied.

"Let's go," Malcolm said.

"What're you going to do with my car?" Sabella asked again as she watched Malcolm lock her baby up in the garage.

"For the time being, I'm keeping it locked in my garage," Malcolm said stating the obvious. "As to what I'll do with it, I haven't decided yet."

"What do you mean you haven't decided yet?" Sabella asked. "That is my vehicle and I haven't done anything that gives you the right to take it form me."

"You're trespassing...."

"That is a minor offense," Sabella said cutting him off, "which can be handled by calling the police, I'll pay the fine and be on my way."

"I don't think you want to get Sheriff Jenkins involved in this," Malcolm said. "He'll take one look at you and your fancy ride, create more serious charges against you, give you a kangaroo trial, throw you in jail and he or the Mayor will be riding around in your baby," Malcolm said. "Is that what you want Sabella?"

"I..."

Sabella cut off what she was about to say when she realized that Malcolm called her by her name.

"How..."

"I read the plate on the front of your vehicle," Malcolm said.

Malcolm walked towards the house thinking that Sabella was behind him. 

He stopped when Frank with a nod of his head signaled him to look behind him. He looked back and saw that his guest hadn't moved away from the garage.

"What's wrong?" Malcolm asked walking back towards.

"I'm not going into your house," Sabella said. "I don't know you. How do I know you won't hurt me one, I'm on the inside?"

"You don't," Malcolm said his cocky tone making Sabella angry. "So let's go."

Sabella didn't move. Malcolm stepped in her direction. She took a step back.

"You're going into the house," Malcolm told her walking back towards her. "You can either walk in or be dragged, but you're going to go inside."

Sabella took a step back for every step that Malcolm took towards her. She couldn't go into his house. 

Something told her if she went in there she would lose her mind. She would be forced to face what she was trying to deny that she had some how traveled back in time. 

If she went inside and saw that the house wasn't empty the way she left it, if she saw that it was decorated with his things she would have proof that she was no longer in the year 2009, and she wasn't ready to face that. 

Sabella turned around and headed back towards the garage she wanted to get in her baby and get the hell away from the house, Frank and Malcolm. She had made it to the garage door when she felt Malcolm's hands on her shoulders. 

He pulled her against his chest, he felt her body trembling.

"You have nothing to be afraid of," Malcolm whispered in her ear. "I'm not going to hurt you, and you're not in any danger."

"You don't understand," Sabella said her voice shaky. "I can't go into your house."

"I don't know why you're afraid to go inside my house," Malcolm said, "but I know that something has happened to you, something that has frightened you, but I can assure you that there is nothing to be afraid of in my house."

"Malcolm?"

"Go back into the house Mabel," Malcolm said without turning to face the woman he was talking to.

"I'm not going anywhere leaving you to scare the life out of this poor child," Mabel said. "I bet you, she's hungry. That is if you haven't frightened away her appetite."

"Mabel," Malcolm growled turning himself and Sabella around to face the woman he was talking to.

Sabella watched as a woman standing five feet tall, weighing about on hundred forty pounds, with silver grey hair walked past a growling Malcolm, over to her. She took hold if Sabella's hand and introduced herself.

"I'm, Mabel Weeks," she said her brown eyes looking kindly into Sabella's grey ones. "I'm the cook, maid and bottle washer for the growling man that dragged you here."

"I'm Sabella Jamison," Sabella said walking with Mabel pass Malcolm towards the house.

"It's nice to meet you Sabella," Mabel said. "I'm preparing breakfast for Malcolm and the rest of the men. Why don't you come in and join us?"

"Thank you for the offer of food," Sabella said praying with everything in her, that Mabel could help her get Malcolm to let her leave, "but I'm not hungry. I really just want to be on my way."

"I'm sorry," Mabel said looking at Malcolm who was shaking his head no, "but the only thing I can offer you is food. Whether you stay or not is up to Malcolm."

"And I've decided you're staying," Malcolm said joining the conversation. "At least until I find out how you came to be on my property."

"Come on into the kitchen with me," Mabel said to Sabella leading her once again towards the house. "If you're not hungry maybe I can interest you in having a cup of coffee."

As they neared the front door Sabella's heart began to beat so hard against her chest, she thought it was going to force it's way out and her body started trembling again.

"What's wrong?" Mable asked.

"She's had a long day," Malcolm said walking over and taking hold of Sabella's hand, "she'll be alright after she's had time to rest."

"We had better get her inside then," Mabel said opening the front door and leading Sabella inside.

Sabella managed to get her feet to move even though she was afraid of what she might see when she stepped inside of Malcolm's home.

She walked into the house and came face to face with the reality of her situation. The house wasn't empty, it was decorated with all things 1950's. 

The furniture was styled from the 1950's, the television was a 1950's floor model, the stereo was a big console a massive piece of furniture. 

Something Sabella could only recall seeing in her grandparents home when she was younger. The thing that was hitting her the hardest was that everything in the house looked new and that wasn't possible in Sabella's mind.

Panic began to rise up in Sabella's throat as she turned to head back out the door.

"Where are you going?" Malcolm asked blocking her path.

"I've got to get out of here," Sabella said her breath coming out in quick, fast pants as she began to hyperventilate.

"Calm down dear," Mabel said taking hold of Sabella's and gently rubbing it.

"I...I...have...to," was all Sabella got to say before her world went black. 

Malcolm caught her in his arms before her body hit the floor.

"Oh, my word," Mabel said her voice filled with concern for Malcolm's guest.

"I'll take her upstairs to the and put her in one of the guest bedrooms," Malcolm said lifting Sabella up into his arms.




Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 02



"I'll get a cold compress," Mabel said heading towards the kitchen.

"Bring her things upstairs, Frank," Malcolm said as he climbed the stairs.

"I wonder why was she so scared to come inside the house?" Frank asked as he followed Malcolm upstairs with Sabella's things.

"I don't know," Malcolm said as he opened the door to the guest bedroom across from his room, "but you can bet I'm going to find out when she comes to."

Malcolm, Frank and Mabel left Sabella alone in the guest bedroom after Mabel placed the cold compress on her head.

"Something terrible must've happened to her," Mabel said as they stood outside the guest bedroom, "for her to pass out the way she did."

"It couldn't have happened here," Malcolm said. "My grandfather built the first house that was standing on this land and this one is only a year old, and she's never been here before, so her fear can't be attached to this house."

"Maybe we'll find out why she's so afraid of being in the house when she wakes up," Mabel said.

After they returned downstairs Mabel went into the kitchen to finish preparing breakfast, Frank went back to the bunkhouse and Malcolm went into the garage to get a better look at Sabella's baby.

He walked around the strange contraption (as Frank called it). It was a marvel to him and looked like something the military would've used, something that was meant to be used on rough terrain or a ranch, something that was meant to be driven by a man, not the five feet seven inches tall, one hundred twenty-five pound, dark skin woman that was driving it. It was a vehicle he could see himself driving.

'Only a woman would pick such an awful color,' he thought to himself stopping at the rear of the vehicle.

He knelt down and looked at the word HUMMER emblazoned on the car in big bold letters and wondered what the H2 stood for as he ran his fingers over the letters. He wondered if Sabella knew what it stood for. 

He looked down at the license plate on the car and saw that it wasn't what he was use to seeing on cars from Georgia. It was too different. The tag had a white reflective background, black numbers and letters, a peach in the middle, the word Dekalb stamped on the bottom and a little sticker in the right lower corner stating that it expired in 2010. 

He knew that Georgia license plates had an orange background and black letters. He noticed the words GEORGIA.gov across the top and wondered what it meant.

He looked on the floor of the garage behind the SUV and saw a piece of paper on the floor, it was a receipt from a fast food restaurant. Malcolm picked it up and looked at it, it was for a hamburger, French fries and an orange soda. He was shocked at the amount of money, she paid.

'Almost seven dollars for a hamburger, fries and soda,' he thought as he looked at the date the purchase was made.

'This can't be right,' he thought to himself.

It wasn't the month or the day that held his attention and caused him not to believe what he was seeing, it was the year, 2009.

'It must be a mistake, it has to be a mistake,' his mind said. 'There is no way this date can be right.'

Malcolm stood up and walked to the driver's side of Sabella's SUV and tried to open the door. It was locked. He'd forgotten that Sabella locked it by pointing her key chain at it.

"Hey, boss."

Malcolm looked up and saw Frank standing in the doorway of the garage.

"Hello, Frank," he replied.

"You figure out where this machine came from and how that gal came to have it?" Frank asked.

"No," Malcolm said.

"I think we should call the Sheriff and let him know about the girl and the machine," Frank said.

"No," Malcolm said. "I believe this machine belongs to Sabella."

"You're joshing me," Frank said his voice filled with surprise that Malcolm would make such a statement. "How would she get her hands on a machine like that? If she didn't steal it, she surely couldn't buy such a vehicle. This thing probably stolen from some secret military lab or base."

"How would a colored girl get this machine off a secure secret military base?" Malcolm asked. "And why would she bring it to Texas where she's sure to be stopped by every cop between here and Houston? She wouldn't have gotten a mile from a secret military base driving this thing if she'd stolen it."

Frank let what Malcolm said roll around in his brain, and he had to admit that his boss had a point but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about his boss' guest, the machine she was driving and her arrival on the double M Ranch.

"So you're going to let her go?"

"I don't know," Malcolm said. "I want to find out how she came to be on my property without being seen by anyone oar causing Spinner, Chops or Lobo to bark. You know those three won't allow a squirrel to get on the grounds without barking up a storm. I'm sure if they had seen any sign of Sabella and her baby, they would've waken up everyone with their barking."

"I hadn't thought about that," Frank said. "You're right those three are very, almost over protective of their territory. How do you think she and that contraption got on the Double M?"

"I don't know," Malcolm said, "but I'm going to find out. I need a favor from you Frank."

"Anything," Frank said.

"I need you not to tell anyone about Sabella or this machine," Malcolm said pointing at the Hummer.

"I won't tell anyone," Frank said. "But you know people are going to fine out about her eventually, especially if she stays here. What're you going to do then?"

"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it," Malcolm said. "Right now I need to keep her being her under wraps."

"She seems determined to leave," Frank remarked. "How are you going to stop her?"

"I think I can change her mind," Malcolm said. "If I can't I can always hogtie her."

Frank started laughing. He laughed so hare tears formed in his eyes as the picture of his determined boss trying to hogtie his just as determined guest. It would be a battle of wills, he would pay good money to see.

"I'm going inside," Malcolm said. "I need to talk to Sabella."

"You want me to put the men to work?" Frank asked.

"Yeah," Malcolm said. "You know what needs to be done. You'll be in charge today, I've got some things I need to handle."

Frank headed towards to the bunkhouse and Malcolm headed inside to speak with Sabella. He had questions and only she had the answers.



Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 03



Readers of a story that I've posted on another web site will find the basis of this story to be a familiar one. But I assure everyone that this story isn't based on the same premise and the difference will become apparent as the story goes along. I promise.

CHAPTER 3

'Someone was knocking on the door again,' Sabella thought to herself as she listened to the tapping on the door.

She knew it could only be one of two people. Malcolm or Mabel.

"Sabella, open the door please."

Malcolm.

"Sabella, we need to talk," Malcolm said. "Please open the door."

Sabella responded the same way she did when he knocked on the door the day before and the day before that, she ignored him.

"Sabella, I know you hear me," Malcolm said regretting his decision to put a bathroom in the guest bedroom, because if he hadn't she would've at least had to come out of the bedroom to go to the bathroom. "We have to talk."

Sabella didn't move, she just sat on the bed staring at the door. 

The last thing she wanted to was talk to Malcolm. She was dealing with enough confusion at the moment trying to figure out her current situation. Like how it came to be.

How could she have gone to sleep in her leaky garage in 2009 and wake up in a field in (if Malcolm was telling her the truth) in 1954? 

Stuff like this only happens in books, to white women. Not in real life and not to her.

"Sabella!" Malcolm said his voice a little more demanding and knocking harder on the bedroom door.

Sabella's response was the same, she didn't answer him.

Malcolm was standing in the hall preparing himself to knock the door down when he saw Mabel coming down the hallway carrying a tray loaded down with breakfast for their guest.

"You're such a caveman," she said to Malcolm shaking her head. "Sabella dear, please open the door. I have breakfast for you."

Nothing.

"You haven't eaten anything for two days now," Mabel said, "and that's not good. You need to eat something. I've bought you a plate of flapjacks, hash browns, ham, bacon and coffee."

Sabella's stomach growled as Mabel listed all the food, she brought her to eat.

'It would be wrong for me to keep turning down her offer of food,' Sabella told herself as she made her way over to the door to remove the chair and chest of drawer, she'd place in front of it. 'Especially after Mabel had gone through the trouble of preparing it.'

The fact that she was hungry enough to eat her clothes didn't matter, she was truly just being polite.

Malcolm and Mabel listened from the other side of the door to the sounds of furniture moving about the room as Sabella opened the door.

"Did you have furniture against the bedroom door?" Malcolm asked as Sabella opened the door to the guest bedroom.

"Yes," Sabella replied her tone showing she didn't care what he thought about it.

"Why would you do that?" Malcolm asked his voice letting Sabella know that he was insulted by her actions.

"A lady has to feel comfortable Malcolm," Mabel said walking into the bedroom carrying the tray loaded down with food. "You're a stranger to the poor girl. She doesn't know you the way the rest of us do around here."

"She put furniture against the door Mable!" Malcolm almost screamed.

"She's in a stranger's house, Malcolm," Mabel said as if he should understand. "You're refusing to let her go. What would you expect her to do?"

Malcolm stormed out of the bedroom, muttering under his breath that he would never understand women, before he blew a gasket leaving Mabel and Sabella in the bedroom alone. 

"I'll be back to pick up the dishes when you're finished," Mabel said as she headed for the door.

"I'll bring them down," Sabella said. "You've been more than kind to me."

Mabel smiled at her, closed the door and made her way downstairs.

"You were raised with better manners than that Malcolm Matheson," Mabel said waggling her finger at Malcolm who was sitting in a chair in the living room pouting like a five year old. "I don't know what's wrong with you but you will apologize to Sabella for the way you behaved up there and I mean you will do it soon."

"I'm a grown man, Mabel," Malcolm said his bottom lip sticking out like the five year old he was portraying, "and I don't need you telling me how to act."

Mabel became so angry at what he said Malcolm could swear she started to grow larger as her chest puffed up and her hands landed defiantly on her hips. 

"You will not speak to me in such a manner, young man," Mabel declared bending so that she was right in his face. "Now I don't know what is going on with Sabella, but it's clear that something has happened to her, and whatever it is has frightened her, and you running around here with a short fuse isn't making things better. It is making things worse for you and for her. Now I expect you to get control of yourself and to treat Sabella better than you have been. If you can't, let her go. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes, ma'am," Malcolm said.

"Screaming at me like you're older than I am," Mabel muttered as she walked away from Malcolm heading towards the kitchen.

"I'm sorry Mabel," Malcolm said as she walked away.

He didn't want to but Malcolm had to agree with Mabel, his attitude wasn't helping the situation.

Malcolm went upstairs to apologize to Sabella for the way he acted and to let her know that he would be back in an hour to speak with her. 

Sabella agreed and closed the bedroom door to finish her breakfast.

True to his world Malcolm was back knocking on the guest bedroom door in exactly one hour later.

It didn't take Sabella an hour to eat breakfast, she used the extra time to freshen up and to get dress. 

She greeted Malcolm wearing jeans, a red and black blouse and a pair of red hi-tops. Malcolm looked at the jeans she was wearing and saw that they hugged the curves of her hips almost like a second skin. He had never seen a pair of jeans fit a woman so naturally. 

Sabella coupled the jeans with a red blouse decorated with little black cowboy hats sprinkled all over it. The blouse seemed to hug her breasts the way the jeans hugged her body. 

She left the two top buttons of the blouse unbuttoned revealing just a hint of cleavage. 

She was wearing a thin gold chain around her neck with a single pearl on it that hung close to her neck almost like a choker. 

Malcolm's eyes traveled up to her face starting with her full firm lips and noticed that Sabella had applied something on them that made them look moist and kissable. 

They rested under a slightly narrow, classic button nose. Then his eyes traveled to the two things that intrigued him most when they met, her eyes. 

They were grey almost silver, almost blue eyes a color that he had never seen before not on a colored woman. 

"I thought you wanted to talk," Sabella said putting her hands on her hips, becoming uncomfortable with the way Malcolm's eyes were traveling over her body.

"Let's go to the garage," Malcolm said stepping aside to allow Sabella to go downstairs ahead of him. 

Sabella went over to the bed and picked up her keys, her purse and the case containing her laptop, she walked out of the guest bedroom and Malcolm followed her down the stairs. 

He followed her out the front door, and they made their way to the garage. Sabella stopped and allowed Malcolm to take the lead when she felt his eyes on her bottom.

"The view would last longer if you took a picture," Sabella said.

"I'm a man," Malcolm replied, "if you put it on display, I'm gonna look."

'Men,' Sabella thought to herself, 'they never change no matter the time.'

When they reached the garage Malcolm unlocked the garage door and walked inside, Sabella followed him. He was about to close the garage door when Sabella asked him not to.

"We're going to need some privacy," Malcolm pointed out, "to talk about what I want to discuss with you. I don't think you want anyone else to overhear the answers to the questions I'm going to ask. I promise to be on my best heavier and not get fresh."

"Why should I trust you?" Sabella asked.

"First of all I don't lie," Malcolm said chuckling at Sabella's question, "and second you don't have a choice," he said the laughter gone from his voice.

He closed the garage door.

Sabella walked over to her baby, walked around and check to see if there was any damage.

"Your baby is fine," Malcolm assured her.

Still checking her baby out Sabella unlocked the driver side door and checked the inside. Everything was, just as she left it.

"Satisfied?" Malcolm asked.

"Yes," Sabella replied.

"I'm glad," Malcolm said smugly. "Can we talk now that you've confirmed that nobody's messed with your baby?"

"Unless you're going to let me go we have nothing to talk about," Sabella said.

"You're free to go," Malcolm said knowing that she had no were she could go.

"What?" Sabella said surprised that he was going to allow her to leave.

"You. Can. Go," Malcolm said slowly and distinctly.

Sabella was stunned but only for a moment. She placed her laptop on the passenger seat then she turned to go into the house to get the rest of her things. 

She was almost at the door of the garage when Malcolm stepped in front of her blocking her path with his six feet six inches tall, two hundred pound, muscular body. 

Sabella looked up at his rugged face with chiseled features that reminded her of a younger version of the actor Chuck Connors, who played the lead on the Rifleman television series. His sapphire, ice blue eyes, almost hidden by the cowboy hat he wore looked defiantly down into her's. 

He reached up with his right hand and pushed the hat up and back a little off his head not pushing it completely off his head but causing it to rest on his neck. 

Sabella almost wished the hat would fall off because it would have allowed her to see if his blonde hair was thick and curly or thin and stringy. 

Malcolm wore the hat all the time, the only way she knew what color his hair was, was because he kept it a little long in the back and it stuck out from under the hat.

"Like what you see?" he asked a self-pleasing smile on his face.

Sabella didn't answer. She tried to get around him so that she could go into his house and get the rest of her things and be on her way.

"You want to tell me why walking into my home caused you to faint?" Malcolm asked as he crossed his arms across his chest moving and using his body to block Sabella's way.

"No," Sabella replied.

"Why not?" Malcolm asked.

"Because you wouldn't believe me if I told you," Sabella said walking away from him.

"Try me," Malcolm said.

"What year is it?" Sabella asked already knowing the answer but dreading what she knew Malcolm's reply would be.

"1954," Malcolm replied.

Sabella opened her purse, reached inside and pulled out her wallet. She opened her wallet and pulled out her driver's license and handed it to Malcolm.

Malcolm looked at her license noticing how stiff and rigid it was and how clear and sharp the picture was of Sabella. He read what it said.

"Says here that you were born July 4, 1977," Malcolm said.

"Yes, I was," Sabella said.

Malcolm looked down at the card then back up at Sabella, then back down at the card. His mind and ears not willing to believe what he knew to be the truth.

"How?" he asked.

"I don't know," Sabella replied. "When I went to sleep in my car in my garage three days ago it was 2009. However, when I awaken, I was in your field and the year is 1954. How it happened, I couldn't tell you."

"That doesn't explain why you fainted," Malcolm said.

"I fainted because in 2009 your house is my house," Sabella said.

"Excuse me," Malcolm said thinking he had misunderstood what Sabella said.

"In 2009 your house is my house," Sabella said repeating herself.

"You and your husband bought my house?" Malcolm said his tone expressing his amazement and disbelief at what Sabella said.

"No," Sabella said, "I bought your house in 2009. I'm not married."

"How could you afford to buy my house?" Malcolm 

asked.

"I purchased it with money, I received when I sold my home in Georgia," Sabella said.

"You owned your own home in Georgia?" Malcolm asked.

"Yes," Sabella replied. "I sold it, so I that I could purchase a new home to live when I moved here and started my new job."

"This is remarkable," Malcolm said leaning against Sabella's baby.

"You believe me?" Sabella asked.

"Yes," Malcolm replied. "It's the only thing that explains your vehicle and this," he said reaching into his pocket, pulling out the receipt he found on the floor in garage behind Sabella's baby and showing it to Sabella.

"The question now is how and why it happened," Malcolm said.

"And if it can be undone," Sabella added. "I have to get back to 2009. My brother is going to be out of his mind with worry if he doesn't hear from me."

"I'll do what I can to help you," Malcolm said, "but we're going to have to be very careful who we tell about this."

"Is what you told me about Sheriff Jenkins true?" Sabella asked praying he would say that he was only trying to scare her.

"Yes," Malcolm replied. "Sheriff Jenkins is known to ticket colored drivers driving nice cars for speeding and giving them the option of going to jail or leaving their cars behind to get out of the ticket. Colored drivers avoid this area of Tyler at all cost."

"He's never been reported?" Sabella asked.

"Who are they going to complain to?" Malcolm asked. "Especially when he has the support of the Mayor."

Sabella had been told by her grandparents about the way African-Americans were treated in the south in the 1950's. 

They told her about segregation, Jim Crow laws and how African-Americans were accused of crimes they hadn't committed, jailed and horribly beaten and lynched. 

The thought of some of the things that could happen to her made Sabella's desire to return to 2009 grow even stronger. 

There was no way she would allow herself to be mistreated or disrespected by any man, especially not after her grandparents fought, enduring beatings, being pelted with sticks, rocks, bottles, and going to jail to be treated equal as whites and treated with the same respect. She wouldn't stain their memory and all they fought for that way.

"I can't stay here," she said knowing that an African-American woman staying with a white man would be frowned upon.

"Why not?" Malcolm asked.

"You know why not," Sabella said. "If I stay here you'll have all kinds of trouble."

"I'm my own man, Sabella," Malcolm said his tone confident and self-assured. "I decide who stays in my home and on my land. I don't answer to anyone. If I say you can stay here, then you can stay here."

'This isn't 2009', Sabella thought to herself, "where a man can actually make such a statement and have it be true. 

The reactions of others in Tyler can have you Malcolm and others on the Double M Ranch facing dire consequences, if she stayed in Malcolm's home, and she didn't want to put them through that.

"Where are you going to go, Sabella if you don't stay here?" Malcolm asked bringing Sabella out of her thoughts.

"I don't know," Sabella replied.

"That's because you know staying on the Double M is your only choice," Malcolm said. "You know you'll be safer here."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Sabella asked tired of arguing with him.

"I'm sure," Malcolm said his tone confident.

"Okay," Sabella said walking over to her baby and opening the driver's side passenger door. "If you say so."

"What're you doing?" Malcolm asked walking over to her.

"Getting my camera," Sabella said. "I want to take plenty of pictures for when I find my way back home. Nobody is going to believe me when I tell them what happened without pictures."

"I see that cameras haven't changed very much," Malcolm remarked looking at the camera Sabella held in her hands.

"Cameras have changed a great deal," Sabella said turning her camera on, aiming it at Malcolm and taking his picture. "This camera doesn't use film," she said turning the camera around and showing Malcolm the picture she had just taken of him. "And it allows you to see the picture instantly."

"How does it do that?" Malcolm asked his voice filled with awe as he looked at the picture of himself.

"I don't know the mechanics of how it works," Sabella said turning the camera a way from Malcolm, "but I can tell you the basics. This is a digital camera, and it take pictures digitally using the camera's computer memory or digital care to store the pictures."

"You said the camera stores the pictures. I'm going to assume that at some point the camera does get full, what happens then?" Malcolm asked.

"Depending on the camera, the settings and the amount of memory this camera can hold over a thousand pictures or images before getting full," Sabella said, "but the camera can be emptied or the pictures removed by either uploading the pictures into another place or deleting them from the camera."

"What do you mean when you by upload?" Malcolm asked.

"I'll show you later," Sabella said not ready to tell Malcolm about her laptop.

"I'm gonna hold you to that," Malcolm said knowing that Sabella was trying to keep something from him.

Malcolm opened the door to the garage so that he and Sabella could return to the house when he saw Sheriff Jenkins heading in his direction.

"Damn?" Malcolm said pushing Sabella back into the garage and closing the door.

"What's going on?" Sabella asked.

"Jenkins is coming this way," Malcolm replied. "You stay here and don't make a sound."

Malcolm opened the garage door and went out to meet Sheriff Jenkins.

"Hello, Sheriff," he said his voice calm and emotionless.

"Hello, Malcolm," Sheriff Jenkins said extending his hand out for Malcolm to shake.

Malcolm shook the hand of the man who had been Sheriff of Culbert County for the last twenty years simply because he was the Mayor's nephew. 

Sheriff Jenkins stood five feet ten and half inches tall, weighed about two hundred pounds, giving him slight love handles around his middle. 

His face was beginning to show signs of aging starting with the crows feet around his eyes and around his mouth, his hair was brown with grey scattered throughout, but he carried his age of fifty-two years old very well. 

His dark brown eyes seemed to be trying to get an impression of what/if anything was going on with Malcolm.

He pasted a smile on his face as Malcolm shook his hand.

"What can I do for you, Sheriff?" Malcolm asked.

"Nothing," Sheriff Jenkins replied. "I was out this way on business, and I thought I would stop by and say hello."

"That was right neighborly of you," Malcolm said.

"How are things out here?" Jenkins asked.

"Just fine," Malcolm replied. "Couldn't be better."

"Malcolm, have you seen Sabella?" Frank asked walking out of the house towards his employer, "There's a funny no...."

Frank stopped speaking when he saw Sheriff Jenkins standing with Malcolm by the garage.

"I haven't seen Sabella," Malcolm said to Frank. "Try the stables she wanted to see some of the horses."

"Alright," Frank said, "I'll look for her down by the stables."

"You got a houseguest?" Sheriff Jenkins asked.

"Is there anything else I can do for you 

Sheriff?" Malcolm asked ignoring his question. "Because if there isn't I'm pretty busy this morning."

"I can take a hint," Sheriff Jenkins said chuckling. "I guess I'll see you and your mystery guest when you come to town."

"Goodbye, Sheriff," Malcolm said ignoring the Sheriff comments about his houseguest.

"Goodbye," Sheriff Jenkins replied making his way to his car.

Malcolm stood next to the garage watching the Sheriff's car until it left his driveway then he opened the garage door letting Sabella know it was alright for her to come out of the garage and make her way into the house.




Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 03



She had just stepped inside the house when she and Malcolm heard the Sheriff's car rushing back up Malcolm's driveway.

Malcolm quickly closed the front door and turned to face the Sheriff.

"Did you forget something?" he asked the Sheriff as he exited his car.

"No," Sheriff Jenkins replied deciding to be honest with Malcolm. "I was hoping to get a look at your mystery houseguest."

"Why are you so interested in my houseguest?" Malcolm asked.

"Why are you hiding her?" Jenkins replied.

"Goodbye Sheriff," Malcolm said his tone letting the Sheriff know he wanted him off his property.

"I would like to meet your houseguest," Jenkins said.

"Goodbye, Sheriff," Malcolm said again his tone a little harder to stress his desire that Sheriff Jenkins to get off his property.

"I'll be back," Jenkins said slipping his car into reverse so that he could leave as Malcolm requested.

"Not unless you have a legal right to do so," Malcolm said.

"You know me," Jenkins said smiling as he slowly backed his car down the driveway, "I'll think of something."

While Malcolm was out front dealing with Sheriff Jenkins, Sabella rushed upstairs to the guest bedroom where she left her things. 

She heard Frank say that there was a funny noise coming out of her room, and she knew it could only be her cell phone. 

She placed it in the charger last night out of her desire to keep things normal, so she did what she did every night before going to bed and that was to place her phone in the charger so it would be ready for her to use the next day.

She rushed into the guest bedroom, closed the door then made her way over to her cell phone and removed it from the charger base. 

She sat down on the bed and said a silent prayer to God that her cell phone was indeed working. She looked down at the screen and cried as she read the words "1 missed called" on the screen. 

Sabella's breath started rushing out in short pants as her body began to shake she was so overjoyed at what she was seeing. Her phone was still working.

Sabella pulled the information up and saw that the call was from her brother Mark. 

With a shaking hand, she pressed the number two button on her phone and sent up another prayer that her call to her brother would go through. 

She held her breath as the phone rung one, two, three times before it was answered.

"Hello."

Sabella threw her hand over her mouth to keep from screaming she was so happy to hear her brother's voice and that her phone still worked.

"Mark?"

"Sabella?"

"Yes, it's me," Sabella said tears running down her face.

"Where are you?" Mark asked. "I'm on my way to Tyler because the movers called me and said you weren't there to take possession of your things, and they're threatening to leave everything on the lawn."

"Click."

Sabella hung up. She didn't know how to answer her brother's question. The truth wouldn't make sense to him because it didn't make sense to her, and she was living it.

Sabella's cell phone rung at the same moment that Malcolm knocked on the guest bedroom door and walked into the room.

"Hello," Sabella said answering the phone without thinking.

"What's wrong?" Mark asked his voice filled with concern at the shaky sound of his sister's voice. "Are you alright?"

"No," Sabella said trying not to cry, "I'm not alright."

"Talk to me," Mark said. "Tell me what's going on."

Sabella tried to form the words that would tell her brother what was happening to her, but she couldn't, the words wouldn't leave her mouth.

"I can't explain anything right now," Sabella said hoping her brother would understand and not pressure her. "I'll explain everything when you get to Tyler. I promise."

"Regina and the baby are with me," Mark said.

"Gina and the baby didn't have to come," Sabella said feeling guilty.

"You know Gina wasn't going to let me come to Tyler by myself," Mark said. "She wants to see for herself that you're alright."

"How far away are you from my house?" Sabella asked.

"We should be there in the next thirty minutes," Mark replied.

"I won't be at home when you get there," Sabella said, ""I've got some things to take care of, but you know where I keep the key."

"Alright," Mark said. "I'm expecting an explanation when I see you."

"I'll be ready to give you one," Sabella said.

Sabella pressed the button ending the call and tossed the cell phone onto the bed.

"What is this?" Malcolm asked walking over and picking up the cell phone Sabella tossed on the bed.

"It's a telephone," Sabella said.

"It can't be a telephone," Malcolm said looking at it. "It doesn't have any wires."

"It's a mobile phone," Sabella said. "It doesn't require wires, it operates using a signal from the air. What I don't understand is why and how it's still working. It shouldn't be working because there isn't a tower for it to receive a signal."

"Who were you talking to?" Malcolm asked still staring at the cell phone.

"My brother Mark," Sabella replied. "He and his family are driving to Tyler to make sure, I'm okay. They're on their way to my home, here to see me."

"Are you going to tell them what's happened?"

"I don't know."

"Why don't you know? Are you afraid they won't believe you?"

"Would you believe such a story if someone told it to you?"

"No," Malcolm said answering honestly, "I wouldn't."

"I've got to come up with a way of convincing my brother that I'm telling him the truth before I talk to him again," Sabella said getting up off of the bed and pacing the room, "and I've got only thirty minutes to do it."

"Calm down," Malcolm said putting his hands on her shoulder to stop her pacing. "Just tell your brother the truth. I'm sure he'll believe you."

"I hope you're right," Sabella said. "I really hope you're right."



Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 04



"Something is wrong," Mark said as he closed his phone and placed it on the seat next to him.

"What did she say?" Regina asked.

"She said she wouldn't be there when we arrived," Mark replied his voice filled with apprehension, "she told me to get the key from her secret hiding place and to go inside and she would talk to us later."

"I don't find anything alarming in what she said," Regina remarked.

"It was the tone she used when she said it," Mark said. "She's keeping something from me."

Regina didn't say it out loud because she didn't want to further upset her husband, but she had to agree with him that something wasn't right with Sabella's situation. 

Sabella wasn't a flighty person, especially when it came to big situations and moving to another state was a big situation for her sister. 

Sabella would treat this situation like moving gold from Fort Knox meaning she would've been standing in the front yard waiting for the movers, and they wouldn't have had to call Mark about her furniture.

"We're here," Mark said pulling into Sabella's driveway.

"The movers are here too," Regina said taking note of the big moving van pulling up at the curb in front of Sabella's house.

"Sabella better have a good excuse for this," Mark said as he got out of the car and went over to talk to the movers.

Sabella sat in Malcolm's living room, her phone in her hand dreading the fact that she was going to have to call her brother back and explain her situation to him. 

She didn't know what she would say to him or how she would explain what had happened to her or how it happened. All things Mark would demand knowing.

Malcolm sat on the couch watching Sabella fret, as she tried to decide how to tell her brother what happened to her. 

He knew that she was afraid to tell her brother the truth because she didn't think he would believe her. But to his way of thinking telling her brother the truth was the only thing she could do.

"Tell your brother the truth, Sabella," Malcolm said.

"I guess that's all I can do," Sabella said her tone saying she knew she had no other option, "I just hope he believes me."

Sabella opened her cell phone and pressed the button that would dial her brother's cell phone. She put Mark on speaker phone because she knew he was going to be angry and when he became angry Mark liked to yell.

Malcolm sat straight up when he heard the sound of a phone ringing, filled the room. His jaw dropped when he heard Mark's gruff voice answer the phone.

"Where are you?" Mark asked his voice tense. "The movers just left. They were asking me where to put your stuff. I didn't know where you wanted anything, so I let Regina take over. And what's wrong with this place? The carpets are damp and it smells musty in here. How long before you come back home? Where are you, Sabella?"

"I'm sorry," Sabella said her voice low sounding like a small child.

Mark calmed himself down by taking deep breaths. Shouting or getting angry with Sabella wouldn't change what happened and his anger would only make things worse.

"I'm sorry," Mark said. "I shouldn't have yelled at you. I'm just upset and frustrated because I don't understand what's going on."

"I understand," Sabella said.

"Tell me what's going on baby girl," Mark said. "You know you can tell anything and no matter what it is we'll face it and work it out together."

"I hope you mean that, Mark," Sabella said her heart pounding so hard and loud in her chest, she was sure Malcolm could hear and see it, "because what I'm about to tell you is going to sound impossible, but I hope you'll believe me and know that I wouldn't lie about what I'm about to say."

"What is it Sabella?" Mark asked.

"Something has happened Mark," Sabella said. "I can't explain it or tell you how it happened, but I swear to you that what I'm about to tell you is the truth."

"Just tell me, Sabella," Mark said.

Sabella took a deep breath and began telling her brother what happened to her.

"When I arrived in Tyler it wasn't raining," Sabella said, "but later that night after I went to bed it started coming down in buckets. I was asleep in my bed when I felt water dripping down on my face. I opened my eyes, looked up and saw that the roof was leaking in the master bedroom. I got up intending to go to sleep in one of the other bedrooms, but they were worse than the master bedroom. I went downstairs planning to sleep down there, but I couldn't because the downstairs was just as wet as the upstairs. I decided the only thing I could do was to go to the garage and sleep in my car. I went out to the garage, only to discover that the garage had a leaky roof too. Knowing I couldn't do anything about what was happening until the morning I got into my car, made myself comfortable and went to sleep. The next morning when I awoke, I wasn't in the garage."

"You weren't in the garage?" Mark said. "Where were you?"

"In a field," Sabella said.

"How did you wind up in a field?" Mark asked.

"I don't know," Sabella replied, "but that isn't the strangest thing that happened."

"What could be stranger than waking up in a field when you went to sleep in a garage?" Mark asked.

Taking a deep breath Sabella told her brother the strangest part of what happened to her.

"The man who owned the field came out and asked me how I got on to his property, Sabella told her brother.

"He didn't hurt you did he?" Mark asked his tone letting everyone know that he was prepared to defend his sister.

"No," Sabella assured him. "He brought me to his home.

"Is the Hummer drivable?" Mark asked.

"Yes," Sabella replied. "There's nothing wrong with my car."

"Are you lost?" Mark asked not understanding why his sister didn't just get in her tank and come home.

"I'm not lost," Sabella said?" 

"Then why aren't you here?" Mark asked. " Are you being held against your will?" Mark asked his voice turning deadly.

"No," Sabella said. "I can't come home because some how, some way, I've been sent back in time to the year 1954."

"What?!"

Sabella jumped when she heard Regina shriek. That's when she discovered that Mark had her on speaker phone.

"Hello, Regina," Sabella said to her sister.

"Where are you, Sabella?" Regina demanded, ignoring Sabella's greeting.

"I'm in my house," Sabella said, "but it's not my house. In 1954 the house is owned by Malcolm Matheson, and it's set up as a ranch of some kind called the Double M."

"You're serious aren't you?" Regina asked. "You really have gone back in time."

"Yes," Sabella said breathing a sigh of relief glad that her sister believed her.

"So you're saying that you're in this house right now but the year is 1954?" Mark asked.

"Yes," Sabella replied.

"What did you say the man who found you, name was?" Mark asked.

"Malcolm Matheson," Sabella replied.

"And the name of the ranch?" Mark asked.

"The Double M," Sabella replied.

Mark wrote the information down and told his sister, he would talk to her later, closed his phone ending the call.

"That went about the way I expected," Sabella said closing her phone.

"Glory be."

Malcolm and Sabella turned to see Mabel standing in the doorway between the living room and the dining room a stunned look on her face. 

A look of panic appeared on Sabella's face because someone else knew her secret.

"How much did you hear Mabel," Malcolm asked walking over to his housekeeper.

"What's that contraption?" Mabel asked pointing at Sabella's cell phone.

"It's called a cell phone, a mobile phone," Sabella replied.

"Can I see it?" Mabel asked.

Sabella placed her cell phone in Mabel's hand. Mabel held the phone in her hand taking not of its small size and how light it was.

"Glory be," she said passing the phone back to Sabella. "You really are from the future aren't you?"

"Yes," Sabella replied.

"Glory be," Mabel said her voice showing her amazement at Sabella's words.

"We can't tell anyone else about this Mabel," Malcolm said. "Especially Sheriff Jenkins."

"I won't tell anyone," Mabel said walking over to Sabella taking her hands into hers. "What year?" she asked.

"2009," Sabella replied.

"Are things any better?" Mabel asked.

"Things have improved a lot," Sabella said, "but we still have so much further to go."

"This is remarkable," Mabel said releasing Sabella's hands and heading towards the kitchen. "It's just remarkable."

"What do you think your brother is going to do?" 

Malcolm asked breaking into the silence that settled around him a Sabella after Mabel left them alone in the living room.

"He's probably doing an Internet search," Sabella replied. "Checking up on you and the rest of the information I have him."

"Internet?" Malcolm asked.

"It's something we use when we want information," Sabella said. "We search for information using our computers and the Internet, or what we call the information super highway."

"You have computers?" Malcolm said his tone showing that he didn't believe what Sabella was saying to him.

Deciding it would be easier to show Malcolm what she was talking about rather than telling him, Sabella asked him to follow her out to the garage to her car.

Once they were inside the garage, Sabella unlocked her baby reached inside and pulled out the case containing her laptop.

"This," Sabella said as she place the case containing her laptop on the hood of her car, opened it and showed it to Malcolm, "is a laptop computer."

She opened the lid of the computer revealing its keyboard and screen to Malcolm.

Malcolm walked over so that he could bet a better look at the computer.

"That little thing is a computer?" he asked not believing what he was being told.

"I'll show you, if this works," Sabella said reaching over and turning on her computer.

She watched as her computer powered up thinking that since her cell phone worked that maybe, just maybe her laptop would work also. 

Sabella closed her eyes, held her breath waiting to hear a sound that she had heard so many times before but never really paid too much, attention to it.

Her breath caught in her throat s the sound she had been waiting for reached her ears sounding like angels in a heavenly choir.

"It works," Sabella said as the Yahoo yodel rung out loudly and clearly, into the air.

She sat down in front of her laptop as it finished powering up. A wallpaper of her brother and his family stretched across the screen.

Malcolm looked down at the computer and everything it was doing. He couldn't understand why hearing the yodel made Sabella so happy, but he liked the way her smile lit up her face, something has he hadn't seen done much, since he discovered her out in his pasture.

"I don't believe that this is a computer," Malcolm said pointing at the little box sitting on the hood of Sabella's car. "I've seen computers before and they are way bigger than that little thing you've got here, and it has cables and cords all over the place. That thing doesn't even have a cord attached to it."

"It's wireless, Malcolm," Sabella said pressing the button that would power down and turn off her computer because she realized from the tone of his voice that she was freaking Malcolm out.

"Is everything wireless in the future?" Malcolm asked his tone sarcastic.

"No," Sabella said closing her laptop and returning it to its case, "everything isn't wireless. I'm going back inside, I'll talk to you when your mood is better."

"I'm sorry," Malcolm said placing a hand on Sabella's shoulder to keep her from leaving after he realized that he was behaving badly.

"I understand," Sabella said, "everything I've shown you is hard for you to believe, and it's overwhelming. The things I've shown you probably surpassed anything you've thought man could conceive. It had to shake you up a bit."

That's when a thought came into Sabella's mind. 

The year was 1954 and neither her mother nor her father had been born yet. It would be three years before either of her parents were born and yet here she stood.

Sabella found that she was the one dealing the feeling with being overwhelmed now.

"I'm going inside up to my room," Sabella said grabbing her laptop off the hood of her hummer.

Malcolm didn't stop her when she turned to leave this time because he figured they both could use some space and time to gather their thoughts.

Regina sat on the couch staring at her husband watching him as he stared at the piece of paper containing the information that Sabella had given him about where she was.

"What're you going to do?" she asked Mark after neither of them had spoken for a few moments.

"The first thing I'm going to do is check us into a hotel," Mark replied still staring down at the piece of paper, he held in his hand. "We can't stay here. Then I'm going to get the roof fixed, and I'm going to find out how my sister was transported back in time."

"You believe her?" Regina asked. Not believing what she was hearing her husband say.

"Yes," Mark said.

"But, how ....why?" Regina stammered.

"I don't know," Mark replied not understanding himself why he believed the fantastic story his, sister told him. "I just believe her."

"I believe her too," Regina said, "I just don't understand how such a thing could happen, and if it did happen how is her cell phone working?"

"I don't know how it happened," Mark said, "and the fact that it happened blows the hell out of all the scientific logic that says her cell phone shouldn't work."

"I wonder if her laptop works?" Regina said.

"I don't know," Mark replied. "I wouldn't be surprised if it did."

At that moment, there was a knock on the front door.

"I wonder who that could be?" Mark said as he stood and went to answer the door.

Mark opened the door and there stood Gloria Reed the woman who sold his sister the money pit he and his family were staying in.

Mark was about to lay a barrage of cuss words on this five foot, one hundred-fifteen pound, milk chocolate skin colored, weave wearing, amber colored eyed heifer when Regina came and stood beside him and took over the conversation.

"Hello, Gloria," Regina said before Mark could say what he really wanted to say to her.

"Hello, Regina its good to see you," Gloria said giving them, her most fake sincere smile, she could muster. "You too Mark."

Mark's response to her greeting was to give her a look that if it had, had the desired result would've caused Gloria Reed to burst into flames right where she stood.

"I'm looking for Sabella," Gloria said. "I came by to see how she's enjoying her first week in her new home."

"Sabella isn't here," Regina said as she pulled Mark away from the door and stood in front of him.

"She isn't," Gloria said using a tone of vice that a deaf person could tell wasn't sincere. "I hope she didn't have any problems."

"Why would Sabella have any problems?" Mark asked the tone of his voice showing that he was suspicious of his sister's friend and the question she asked. "You said yourself that this was a solid house and everything that was done to it was less than two years old. Therefore, why should my sister, your friend have any problems with her home?"

"Sabella shouldn't have any problems," Gloria said. "I just came by to see how she was doing being new to Tyler and all."

"Sabella isn't here right now," Mark said placing a strained smile on his face. "She's gone to find someone to give her an appraisal on how much it's going to cost her to have a new roof put on her new home and on the garage."

"This house doesn't need a new roof and neither does the garage," Gloria said her voice letting Mark know how insulted she was at the implication of what his words were saying. "The seller assured me and showed me documents stating that the roof on this house is only two years old, and it shouldn't need anything done for another fifteen years. Give or take a year."

"Well, somebody lied to either you or my sister," Mark said his look letting Gloria know where the blame lied.

"Look, I don't want Sabella to feel that I stuck her with a lemon or a money pit," Gloria said wondering herself how she made her vice sound so sincere. "I'm sure I could talk my boss into taking this place off her hand. Not at the price she paid for it of course, but I'm sure her loss wouldn't be that big, since she did just purchase the house."

Mark looked down at the woman standing before him as the light of understanding flashed into his mind.

Gloria Reed had conned his sister and sold her a house with known structural issues and now under the guise of friendship was offering her a way out of the trap that she lured Sabella into.

"I'm sure Mark will tell Sabella about your visit," Regina said rejoining the conversation she had been listening to and been a part of since her husband opened the door and having the same flash of understanding in her mind that her husband had in his, "but I don't think Sabella will be interested in selling her home."

Regina was amazed at the way Gloria managed to wipe away the look of amazement that appeared on her face upon learning that Sabella wouldn't be interested in selling the house back to her.

"Are you sure?" Gloria asked. "I'm sure I could talk my boss into buying the house back from her."

"I don't think Sabella will be looking to sell this house any time in the near future," Regina said. "As I said before I think she really likes this house."

"What about the plumbing?" Gloria asked. "Is she going to want the added expense of replacing all the plumbing?"

"Sabella didn't mention a plumbing problem," Mark said making a move towards Gloria.

"I don't know if there is a plumbing problem," Gloria said trying to recover from her accidental slip. "I'm just mentioning a potential problem that could've been something else the previous owner might've lied about."

"As I said before, I'll tell Sabella you came by," Regina said stepping between Mark and Gloria, "but I wouldn't get my hopes up about her selling this place because I don't see that happening."

Gloria stood on the front porch staring at the door that had just been closed in her face. Her mind searching for an excuse to give her boss as to why Sabella wouldn't be selling her house back to them. 

Gloria thought that selling the house to her old high school friend and buying it back from her at a loss wouldn't be a problem because she expected Sabella to be jumping at the bit to sell it back to her once she learned about the roof and how expensive it would be to have it repaired, but it didn't look like Sabella would be selling the house back to them. 

This was the fifth time the house had been sold to an unsuspecting person looking forward to buying a home in Tyler. 

This particular house was a favorite because of its location and the family atmosphere of the neighborhood, people wanted to live there so selling it wasn't a problem. 

It also wasn't a problem getting the same unsuspecting buyers to sell the house back to Gloria's boss once they discovered the house was in need of expensive and lengthy repairs. 

Most of the buyers were anxious to sell the house back to Gloria's boss when he offered to buy it back from them at a small loss, but it didn't look as if it was going to happen this time because Sabella liked the house and wanted to repair it. Gloria just hoped her boss would understand. 



Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 05



Sheriff Carl Jenkins sat at his desk pondering possible ways that would give him access to Malcolm's property.

The main problem was that Malcolm Matheson was a white man, a well respected white man from a well respected family with strong ties to the community. 

If he was a colored man the Sheriff could pretty much handle the situation anyway he saw fit. There wouldn't be any cries of unfair treatment because not too many whites cared about the colored people in Culbert County or how they were treated.

This situation wouldn't allow him to just barge on to Malcolm's property throwing out the law as he saw fit. 

Doing such a thing in this case could and would raise the ire of the local citizens and his Uncle the Mayor.

No, he had to come up with something or visit the property at a time when Malcolm wasn't going to be there.

'That's it,' Sheriff Jenkins thought to himself. 'I'll visit the ranch when Malcolm isn't there, or maybe I'll catch his guest out and about alone on the ranch.'

The Sheriff smiled as another idea took root in his mind. 'Maybe I can find out about his guest by talking to Mabel, Frank or one of the other ranch hands. Yes, I'll talk to the people who work for him.'

Sheriff Jenkins stood up from his desk, put his hat on his head and headed out the door. He smiled because he now had a plan, a way of solving his problem, and he knew the best place to start was the easiest and that would be with Mabel. 

Because everyone knew that if you wanted to find out what was going on in a bachelor's house all you had to do was talk to the housekeeper.

Carl Jenkins sat outside the local grocery store in his patrol car awaiting Mabel's arrival. He expected to see her there because it was Friday the day she did her weekly grocery shopping.

He smiled when just as expected Mabel pulled up to the grocery store in her trusty old pickup truck, turned off the engine, exited the truck, locked the doors and made her way to the front entrance of the grocery store.

Sheriff Jenkins waited until Mabel entered the store and grabbed a grocery cart making her way over to the produce section before he exited his care and made his way inside.

He stood in the front of the store watching Mabel in the produce section checking out the tomatoes, holding them, squeezing them slightly and smelling them checking their freshness.

Jenkins decided to approach Mabel as she made her way out of the produce section towards the back to the meat counter. As he walked up Sheriff Jenkins heard her place an order for six steaks.

"Malcolm having guests?" the butcher asked noticing that Mabel had doubled her usual order.

"Why can't you just fill my order without being nosy Max?" Mabel said to the butcher.

"Just making conversation, Mabel," Max said. "Not my intention to be nosy."

"Six steaks, Max, three pounds of ground beef, a slab of bacon, two whole chickens, a rump roast and six pork chops, please," Mabel said.

"Company going to be staying awhile?" Max asked.

"Charge it to Malcolm's account," Mabel said ignoring Max's question. "I'll pick it up after I've finished with the rest of my shopping."

"Alright," Max replied.

As Mabel turned to leave, she bumped into Sheriff Jenkins, who had purposely positioned himself so that she would bump into him.

"Excuse me, Mabel," Sheriff Jenkins said reaching out and placing his hands on Mabel's shoulders to steady her in case she fell.

"I didn't expect to see you standing there, Sheriff," Mabel said.

"I guess not," Sheriff Jenkins said chuckling. "I came over to see if Max had any decent steaks for sale today."

"The steaks are always decent," Mabel said. "It's putting up with Max that you have to decide if you want to put up with."

"I heard him asking if Malcolm had company as I was walking up to the counter," Sheriff Jenkins said chuckling once again.

"I'm going to finish my shopping Sheriff," Mabel said pushing her cart away from the meat counter. "I'll talk to you later."

"Okay," Sheriff Jenkins said amazed that Mabel hadn't taken the opportunity he'd given her to gossip about Malcolm's guest. "I guess you have to get back home and take care of Malcolm and his guest," the Sheriff said unwilling to give up on getting the information he was seeking.

"I do have to get back to work," Mabel said leaving the Sheriff standing at the meat counter with as much information as he had when he bumped into her.

"How many steaks do you want Sheriff?" Max asked.

"None," Sheriff Jenkins said as he left the meat counter.

It was when he was leaving the grocery store and saw Carolyn Winters heading for the entrance that another idea popped into Sheriff Jenkins mind. He couldn't get the information he wanted from one woman he'd send in another woman to get what he wanted.

"Hello Carolyn," Sheriff Jenkins said reaching up and touching the brim of his hat as he greeted her.

"Hello, Sheriff," Carolyn said. "How are you today?"

"I'm fine," the Sheriff replied. "I'm a little disappointed though, I came over thinking I would have a steak for dinner only to find out that Mabel ordered the last six steaks Max had for Malcolm."

"Six steaks for Malcolm," Carolyn replied finding it strange that Malcolm would order so many steaks just for himself.

"I guess he's planning a nice evening for the visitor, that's been staying with him," Sheriff Jenkins said innocently knowing that he had piqued Carolyn's interest.

"Malcolm didn't say anything about expecting a visitor," Carolyn said.

Sheriff Jenkins smiled. Carolyn's reaction was just what he expected it to be.

"Maybe the woman is an old friend of his," Sheriff Jenkins said giving into his desire to further flame the flames of Carolyn's curiosity.

"She?" Carolyn questioned.

"Yes," the Sheriff replied. "I stopped by Malcolm's place to see how he was doing when Frank came out and asked him about someone named Sabella. Very pretty name don't you think?"

"What does this Sabella look like?" Carolyn asked.

"Don't know," Sheriff Jenkins replied. "I never got a chance to meet her."

"I wonder how long she's been visiting?" Carolyn asked.

"I stopped by Malcolm's place on Monday," Sheriff Jenkins said. 

"And today is Friday," Carolyn murmured. "If she's still there, she's been there almost a week. I wonder why Malcolm didn't mention having a guest before I left to visit my grandparents? I could've delayed my trip and been here to help him entertain his guest and introduced her to people around town."

"Maybe Mabel can answer those questions for you," Sheriff Jenkins said as he fought to keep a smile off his face that was trying to break free. "She's inside doing Malcolm's weekly shopping."

"Thank you, Sheriff," Carolyn said. "I think I will have a talk with Mabel and find out what's going on."

"Goodbye, Carolyn," the Sheriff said stepping aside so Carolyn could enter the grocery store.

He smiled thinking that he would soon have all the information, he wanted, using the most powerful weapon in the world a jealous woman protecting her territory.

Carolyn Winters a twenty-eight year old, brown haired version of Marilyn Monroe stands five feet six inches tall, weighs one hundred twenty-five pounds, with eyes just as brown as her hair was what everyone in Culbert County considered to be Malcolm's perfect match.

She was beautiful, smart and she came from an established, respected, wealthy family all things that everyone thought made her the perfect woman for Malcolm, and it was for that reason it was expected that Malcolm and Carolyn would one day get married.

It was so expected that most of the single women in town consider, Malcolm to be off limits, so off limits, they turned him down whenever he asked them out. 

Most of them because they didn't want to deal with Carolyn's reaction when she found he'd asked them out, and they'd accepted.

Carolyn went into the grocery store searching for Mabel hoping Mabel would tell her about the woman staying in Malcolm's home.

'What is wrong with that man?' Carolyn thought to herself as she searched. 'He's going to make me the laughing stock of this town. How is it going to look, him, a single man, allowing a woman to stay in his home?' 

How would she explain it to her family and friends? 

'He better have a good explanation for doing such a thing,' Carolyn thought to herself.

Carolyn, knew and understood that as far as Malcolm was concerned the only thing they shared between them was friendship. Malcolm had told her, that he wasn't interested in her romantically. 

When Carolyn suggested they give dating a try Malcolm insisted, it wasn't a good idea, he told her it would be the same as dating a family member for him.

Malcolm also told her, he couldn't date her because of her elitist attitude. Her opinion that there was a place for everything and everything had it's place and that included people.

Carolyn and Malcolm had,had countless talks, arguments about the way Carolyn treated people she considered not in her social class. 

People who worked for her family, served others, weren't as educated as she was or who wasn't the same color as she was she considered beneath her. She couldn't understand Malcolm's problem with the way she thought. 

Especially when it was clear (at least to her and others like her) that people were of the manor born.

Meaning she was born in a wealthy family with power, a family that wasn't afraid to use that power. Hence this was where God wanted her to be. 

It was the job of her family and families like her's to look out for things, to keep things as God intended. 

That meant when the lower classes or colored got uppity it was their job to remind them to stay in their place. Doing so kept order, kept things calm and running smoothly.

That was why wealthy families only married into other wealthy families. They all understood how things were done, how things were run. At least that was what her father told her and her father would never lie to her.

Carolyn knew that she and Malcolm belonged together, all she had to do was to get him to see things her way, and she would do that by making herself the only woman available to him, something she had managed to do before this surprised visitor showed up.

Carolyn wasn't really worried about the woman because Malcolm wasn't a man easily tempted by a pretty face or a shapely body (if he was they would be married by now) it took more than that to get a man like Malcolm interested in you. 

What she didn't like was the fact that she knew nothing about this woman, and she appeared out of nowhere and that put Carolyn at a disadvantage making her feel defenseless and 

Carolyn didn't like that.

Carolyn found Mabel putting the last few items from her shopping list into her shopping cart and heading towards the checkout counter. 

Deciding that the direct approach was the way to handle the situation she made her way over to Mabel.

"Hello, Mabel," Carolyn said a forced smile plastered on her face.

"Hello, Carolyn," Mabel replied. "I asked you to call me Miss. Winters," Carolyn said.

"I'll call you Miss. Winters when you call me Miss. Weeks," Mabel said. "I'm old enough to be your mother, and I know your parents taught you better."

"You're a housekeeper, Mabel," Carolyn said. "That changes things."

"Did you have a special reason for coming over here to bother me?" Mabel asked tiring of dealing with Carolyn.

"I came over to find out about the woman staying at Malcolm's house," Carolyn said.

Mabel didn't respond she just stared at Carolyn.

"Who is she?" Carolyn asked.

"That's none of your business," Mabel said. "If Malcolm wanted you to know who was staying at his home, he would've told you, himself."

"I've told you to call him, Mr. Matheson," Carolyn said, "and you know I've been out of town visiting my grandparents so Mr. Matheson wouldn't have been able to tell me anything about having a visitor."

"I think he would've told you if he wanted you to know since you called him almost everyday you were away," Mabel said.

"He may not have told me because our conversations were short," Carolyn said. "We were speaking long distance and a long distance call can be rather expensive even for the wealthy. I'm sure now that I'm back in town, he's going to introduce me to his guest. I just want to know what to expect when I meet this woman."

"I can't help you, Carolyn," Mabel said swallowing the laugh that almost escaped her lips when Carolyn turned red with anger because she refused to tell her anything about Sabella. "I'm sure you understand since you've seen fit to remind me often that a housekeeper shouldn't go around putting her employer's business out for the whole world to see. In fact, I remember you telling me that a person in my position should treat it like working for the government and keep all family secrets and that is how I'm going to treat the information you're asking for. It was good talking to you, Carolyn," Mabel said as she paid for her purchases and made her way towards the exit. "I'll tell Malcolm, you're back in town and asking about him."

'The first thing I'm going to do after I marry Malcolm is fire that old cow,' Carolyn said to herself as she watched Mabel walk out of the store. 'Looks like if I'm going to have to pay Malcolm a visit if I'm going to find out anything about this Sabella, person, since I can't find out anything from the help.'

"Did you find out anything from Mabel?"

Carolyn jumped at hearing the sound of Sheriff Jenkins' voice behind her.

"You shouldn't walk up on people like that, Sheriff," Carolyn said placing her hand against her chest.

"I'm sorry Carolyn," the Sheriff said. "I saw you talking to Mabel, and I was just wondering if you found out anything about Malcolm's guest."

"Why are you so interested in Malcolm's guest?" Carolyn asked not understanding the Sheriff's desire for information.

"It's my job to keep everyone in Culbert County safe," Sheriff Jenkins replied, "and the way Malcolm's behaving is setting off my alarms. I just want to make sure this woman isn't a threat to the town."

"Malcolm has always been a very private person," Carolyn pointed out. "He values his privacy and the privacy of the people who visits him."

"I know that," Jenkins said, "but he usually introduces his visitors to someone in town by now. He hasn't done that with this woman and that says to me that something is off, and I should look into it. I think you should be a little curious yourself, she is staying with him alone in that house after Mabel goes home."

Jenkins pretended not to notice when Carolyn's eyebrows jerked up a little.

"I'm going to stop by Malcolm's on my way home," Carolyn said, "and prove to you that this woman is just a friend and nothing more."

"Alright," Sheriff Jenkins said. "I'll be waiting to hear wha tyou find out."

'Some people are so easy,' Sheriff Jenkins thought to himself as he watched Carolyn climb into her car and head to Malcolm's house. 'I wish I could be a fly on the wall to see Malcolm's reaction when she shows up at his place. The shit is going to hit the fan and the smell is going to be awful.'

Carolyn found Malcolm sitting on his front porch, as if he was waiting for her when she pulled up in his driveway. 

The look on his face said he wasn't at all glad to see her causing her to wonder if Mabel told him about her asking about his guest. After checking her make up one last time Carolyn, opened the door to her car, slid from behind the wheel, closed the door and made her way over to Malcolm. 

She smiled as she approached him hoping he would smile in return. He didn't.

"Hello, Malcolm," Carolyn said walking up the path leading to the front porch.

"Hello, Carolyn," Malcolm replied folding his arms across his chest and standing up able to not give into the good manners his parents taught him about standing when a lady inters a room or approaches.

"How have you been?" Carolyn asked.

"Fine," Malcolm said his tone flat and unwelcoming. "How have you been?"

"Fine," Carolyn replied stepping up onto the front porch.

"How are your parents and your grandparents?" Malcolm asked.

"Everyone in my family is fine," Carolyn said waiting for Malcolm to offer her a seat on the porch or ask her inside his home.

"That's good," Malcolm said. "What can I do for you today?"

"Do I need a reason to stop by and visit?" Carolyn replied coyly.

"No," Malcolm said, "but I'm busy today, and I don't really have time for visitors."

"I'm not a visitor," Carolyn said her voice holding a hint of insult. "I'm a friend and you, Malcolm Matheson has always had time for a friend."

"Normally you would be right," Malcolm said tiring of the back and forth conversation, "but today I don't have time for friends or visitors."

"Oh, does that mean your other houseguest has left?"

"No, she's still here."

"I would like to meet her," Carolyn said heading for the front door.

"Not today," Malcolm said putting his hand on the front door knob to keep Carolyn from entering his home. "Today wouldn't be a good time Carolyn."

"When are you going to let us meet your mystery guest?" Carolyn asked. "I understand she's been here a week and no one in town has met or seen her. It's like you're hiding the woman away."

"I think you should leave, " Malcolm said. "Like I told you a few seconds ago today isn't a good time to visit."

"I'm sorry if I offended you, Malcolm," Carolyn said caught off guard by the harsh tone of Malcolm's voice. "I wasn't trying to be offensive."

"I'll talk to you later Carolyn," Malcolm said his tone letting Carolyn know that he wanted her to leave.

Carolyn made her way back to her car, opened the door, climbed back behind the wheel, started it up, put in reverse backed out of Malcolm's driveway, and she headed home.

Malcolm closed the front door and made his way over to the couch and plopped down glad he had managed to ward off another nosy visitor. 

He knew when Mabel told him about Carolyn approaching her at the grocery store and questioning her about Sabella that Carolyn would pay him a visit, so he wasn't surprised when she showed up, and he was glad he was prepared for her question and any tactics she might use to try to get into his home.

"How long before she comes back?"

Malcolm looked up to see Sabella standing at the foot of the stairs a glass of water in her hand and a worried expression on her face.

"Until she can think of another reason to pay me a surprise visit," Malcolm said. "I'd give her a day or two."

"An old girlfriend?" Sabella asked wondering what Malcolm's relationship was to the woman who'd just left.

"She wanted to be but I wasn't interested," Malcolm said.

Sabella turned and headed up the stairs deciding not to ask the many questions that filled around in her mind about Malcolm's and Carolyn's relationship.

"It's going to be alright Sabella," Malcolm assured her as if reading her mind.

'Famous last words,' Sabella thought to herself as she gave him a weak smile and made her way upstairs.

Later that night Malcolm was awakened by the light creaking sound Sabella's bedroom door made whenever she tried to ease it open.

Reaching for his robe Malcolm threw covers back, eased out of bed, put on his robe and made his way over to his bedroom door. He pressed his ear against the door, listening as Sabella made her way downstairs. 

The creaks in the floorboard that use to drive him crazy now mapped her progress as she made her way to the stairs.

When he heard the familiar creak of the third step he opened his bedroom door and slipped out into the hallway.

He expected Sabella to do what she normally when she came downstairs because she couldn't sleep, go into the living room select a book off of his bookcase to sit down and read or to go into the kitchen, make a cup of coffee and sit at the table to drink and think about things.




Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 05



However, she didn't do that tonight. Tonight she went over to the front door, unlocked it and opened it.

A feeling of panic swept through Malcolm's body, and before he could stop himself, he made his way over to Sabella.

"Where do you think you're going!?" he asked pushing the door closed his voice and eyes filled with anger at the thought of Sabella trying to sneak out and leave.

"I was going to sit out on the porch," Sabella said her tone and breathing letting Malcolm know he'd frightened her when he slammed the door close. "I couldn't sleep so I decided to go outside and get some fresh air hoping it might relax me and help me to fall asleep. What is your problem?"

"I thought you were trying to leave," Malcolm said telling her the truth.

"As you've pointed out, where would I go?" Sabella asked placing her hands on her hips. "I don't have anywhere else I can go Malcolm so you can relax and go back to bed."

Sabella opened the door, stormed out and slammed it shut, leaving Malcolm standing in the foyer feeling like the biggest idiot around.

Knowing he needed to apologize to Sabella, Malcolm opened the door and followed Sabella outside. He expected to find her standing on the front porch, but she wasn't there. He looked up and spotted her going towards the garage and took off after her.

"Sabella."

"Get the hell away from me."

"I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted, now get away from me."

"Would you please stop and talk to me?"

"No."

"Sabella!" Malcolm almost screamed his hands reaching out, grabbing her by the shoulders, turning her around so that she was facing him.

He was surprised when he turned her around to see tears in her eyes. She was crying.

"I want to go home Malcolm," Sabella said tears running down her face as, the frustration of her situation overwhelmed her, "I want to go home!"

"I know," Malcolm said putting his arms around her and pulling her against him. "I'm going to do all I can to help you get back to your family."

"What if I can't get back?" Sabella asked. "What am I going to do then?"

"We won't think that way," Malcolm said. "This happened to you and it can be undone, we just have to find a way to undo it."

"Carolyn scares me," Sabella said. "She's not going to stop until she finds out who, I am."

"You don't have to worry about Carolyn," Malcolm said. "She won't be a problem."

"We're talking about a woman, whose very interested, in being the only woman in your life," Sabella said moving out of Malcolm's embrace. "I wouldn't be surprised if Sheriff Jenkins wasn't the one who told her, you had a woman staying here with you. Everyone knows that no one can dig up information on another woman like a jealous woman protecting her territory. He's probably hoping and expecting Carolyn to come back with information about me."

"If Jenkins is expecting Carolyn to provide him with information about you, he's going to be very disappointed because she didn't learn anything," Malcolm said. "She left here with the same amount of information, she arrived with. Nothing."

"But if the two of them are willingly or unwillingly teaming up together its only going to get worse," Sabella said, "and that won't be good for either you or me. The only way to diffuse this situation is for me to go back home. Then everything can return to normal for everyone."

"Come on," Malcolm said reaching for Sabella's hand. "Let's table this discussion until morning. We're not going to come up with a solution tonight. Tomorrow we can look at the situation with fresh eyes and clear minds."

"You go," Sabella said easing her hand out of his. "I'm still not sleepy."

"At least come inside," Malcolm pleaded not comfortable leaving Sabella outside alone.

"Okay," Sabella said. "I'll come inside."

Once they were inside Malcolm said goodnight and went upstairs to bed. 

As he laid in bed his mind wandered back to what happened on the front porch and his reaction to seeing Sabella cry.

He couldn't understand why her emotions affected so. Seeing her smile thrilled him way more than it should have and her crying earlier upset him more than it should have. 

He told himself it was because he was sympathetic to her situation, she was a damsel in distress in dire need of his help and that was all it could be, and he wanted to help her. 

He refused to acknowledge that it was anymore than that.

It couldn't be anymore than that ,because if it was more than that, that wouldn't be good thing.

'I've got to find away to get her back to her family', Malcolm said to himself as he turned over and tried to go to sleep. 'Then just as Sabella said, things would go back to normal.'

Suddenly normal wasn't as appealing to Malcolm as it was before Sabella arrived because she wouldn't be there when things returned to normal. 



Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 06



Mark was sitting in his hotel suite on his laptop researching the information Sabella had given him about Malcolm and the Double M ranch when his Yahoo messenger chat box appeared on the screen. It was Sabella wanting to chat with him.

Sabella: r u busy?

GaMark: never too busy for you.

Sabella: I just wanted to say goodnight. Going to bed. Surprised my laptop works.

GaMark: sleep tight. Don't let the big Texan bite. Glad your laptop works.

Sabella: U r not funny. Scared.

GaMark: bet u smiled. Don't be scared. I will get you back home count on it.

Sabella: gnight. Luv you. Tell Lil Sabella, Auntie luvs her.

GaMark: Night. Luv u 2.

Sabella: Luv u 2 Gina.

"How did she know I was sitting beside you?" Regina teased.

"You know Sabella," Mark said, "she's going to cover all the bases."

"Why didn't you tell her you paid off the mortgage on her house?" Regina asked.

"It wasn't the right time," Mark said. "She wanted comfort and reassurance so that's what I have her. I'll tell her about the mortgage when I talk to her again."

"You're a wonderful big brother, husband and father," Regina said kissing Mark lightly on the lips as she said each word. "You know what all the women in your life needs, and you have no problems providing it."

"I might fail my sister in her need to get back home," Mark sighed, his voice holding a hint of hopelessness.

"If you fail to find a way to bring Sabella back to us, it'll be for the same reason she traveled back in time, it was beyond both your's and Sabella's controls," Regina said. "And there was nothing you could do to bring her back."

"I don't know if I can accept that Gina," Mark said. "I don't know if I can accept failure in this situation."

"You might not have a choice baby," Regina said. "Just like Sabella had no control over being sent back in time, you might not have any control over whether or not she comes back."

"Don't say that, Gina," Mark pleaded. "Sabella is all the blood family, I have left besides our daughter. I can't lose her."

"You won't lose her, baby," Regina reassured him putting her arms around him. "We can still talk to Sabella using both our phone, and as we discovered tonight that her laptop works meaning we can communicate with her using our computers too, and we might even be able to see her if she remembers her computer has a built in web cam. So you see, we might not be able to touch her, but we will be able to talk to her and see her."

Mark knew that his wife was trying to comfort him, trying to get him to see the positive side of the situation if he isn't able to bring his sister back, and he would take solace and comfort in those things if he couldn't bring Sabella back, but he wouldn't give up. Not until he did everything he could to bring his sister back. 

Sheriff Jenkins walked into his office and slammed the door shut behind him letting his deputies that unless the world was coming to an end, he wasn't to be disturbed.

The cause of his anger was learning that Carolyn Winters hadn't seen nor had she learned anything about the woman staying in Malcolm's home. Meaning he was right back where he started. Uninformed. 

Carolyn said Malcolm didn't invite her into his home, and he blocked her when she tried to enter his house uninvited, so she didn't make it pass the front door.

Carolyn assure Sheriff Jenkins she wouldn't give up because she was as determined as he was to find out all she could about Malcolm's guest.

'She maybe determined,' Sheriff Jenkins thought to himself, 'but her determination doesn't do anything towards providing with what I want most right now, but I'm just as determined as she is to find a way to get what I want.'

Sabella's eyes opened and she looked around the room, she closed her eyes again when she realized that she was still in Malcolm's house, she hadn't returned to 2009 as she prayed and hoped she would be when she went to bed last night.

Sabella turned over and picked up her watch off the nightstand, looked at it and saw that it was eleven o'clock.

Oh, my goodness,' Sabella thought to herself as she threw the covers back, got out of bed and headed to the bathroom. 'Malcolm and Mabel are going to think I'm the laziest person around.'

Sabella jumped into the shower, cleaned her body, dried off, brushed her teeth, got dressed, combed her hair and made her way downstairs. She found Mabel in the kitchen preparing lunch for Malcolm and his ranch hands.

"I'm sorry I overslept," she said digging in and helping Mabel as it had become her habit to do everyday.

"You didn't oversleep, child," Mabel said smiling at her. "Malcolm told me to let you sleep because you had a tough night, and you didn't go to bed until three this morning."

"He's right," Sabella said wondering how Malcolm knew what time she went to bed.

Sabella was about to ask Mabel if there was anything else she could do to help out when she felt a wet nose on the back of her leg. She looked down and saw Lobo, Malcolm's German Shepherd standing next to her waiting on his morning head rub.

"Hello, boy," Sabella said kneeling down and giving Lobo his morning head rub as he gave her, her morning lick. "How are you this morning?"

Lobo barked as if he was trying to say that he was fine.

Sabella was still rubbing Lobo's head when she felt a wet nose on her face. She turned to see Spinner, Malcolm's Great Dane looking her in the eyes.

"Hi, Spinner," she said rubbing his head. "Are you jealous because I'm giving Lobo all of my attention?"

Spinner barked as if he was saying yes.

"I'm sorry baby," Sabella said putting her arms around the huge dog's neck. "You know I wouldn't ignore you on purpose."

Malcolm stood in the doorway of the kitchen amazed at the sight, he saw before him. 

Sabella had been in his home a week and the woman had taken his three well trained guard dogs and turned them into three huge lap dogs, who followed her around like, she dropped doggy treats as she walked by them.

They were all still good guard dogs, it was the fact that they all had become so attached to Sabella that surprised Malcolm. Especially since neither of the three dogs were very social creatures.

He was about to walk into the kitchen when Chopper his Border Collie shot passed him and headed over to Sabella to get his morning head rub and to give her, her morning lick.

"Your fan club is going to have to leave my kitchen," Mabel said her tone teasing.

"You hear that boys," Sabella teased, "we're all being thrown out of the kitchen."

All the dogs started whining.

"See what you've done Mabel?" Sabella said giving Mabel a sad face, "you've hurt my boys feelings."

"Your boys will be happier out in the back yard," Mabel said, "and out of my kitchen."

"Come on boys," Sabella said her tone haughty, "we know when we're not welcomed."

She turned to leave the kitchen and almost bumped into Malcolm who was still standing in the doorway.

"Excuse me," Sabella said. "I didn't see you standing there."

"How did you sleep last night?" Malcolm asked slipping his hands into the back pockets of his jeans.

"Very well, when I was finally able to sleep," Sabella replied smiling at him, "after I chatted with my brother."

Malcolm noticed the way her eyes would light up when she spoke of her brother.

"I'm glad your brother could help you get to sleep," Malcolm said pushing down the hint of jealousy, he felt at Sabella seeking comfort from her brother instead of him. "You know I wouldn't mind listening if you felt the need to talk."

"You.... Thank you," Sabella said her eyes unable to hide her surprise that Malcolm would make such an offer. "It was nice of you to offer."

"I mean it," Malcolm stressed. "Any time you want to talk, I'll gladly listen."

"Come on boys," Sabella said speaking to the three dogs. "We had better get out of here while the getting's good," she said looking over at Mabel, who smiled at her as Sabella and the dogs exited out the back door.

"What has she done to my dogs?" Malcolm asked once he and Mabel were alone in the kitchen. "She has turned three very good guard dogs into three huge lap dogs who follow her around to do her bidding."

"You know they say that animals can tell the real nature of a person," Mabel said. "Maybe those three huge lap dogs see the true nature of Sabella, and they see her for the kind loving person she is."

"Who are you talking about?"

Malcolm and Mabel turned surprised to see Carolyn standing in the doorway of the kitchen.

"I'm going out back to check on the laundry," Mabel said knowing she needed to get to Sabella to keep her from coming back into the house while Carolyn was there.

"You're still hanging the wash outside?" Carolyn asked. "Why aren't you using the dryer, I helped Malcolm pick out when he renovated the house?"

"I like the smell the clothes have after they've been dried in the sun," Mabel said, "and you can't get that from a dryer."

"Mabel, Mabel," Carolyn said stepping further into the kitchen, "you're going to have to give up some of your old fashioned ways and get with modern times. Using the dryer would make things easier for yourself. You're getting up in age, and you should use the new modern conveniences to lessen your workload."

"You want to see how my getting up in age and my workload is effecting me?" Mabel asked her voice tense and threatening. "You and I could go out in the backyard and wrestle. Then we could see who's in better shape you or me."

"Go tend to the laundry, Mabel," Malcolm said joining the conversation and easing Mabel towards the back door. "I'll deal with Carolyn."

"Tellin me, I'm getting older," Mabel muttered as she left the kitchen. "I can still kick her butt."

"How do you deal with her?" Carolyn asked Malcolm as she watched Mabel exit the kitchen.

"What are you doing here?" Malcolm asked ignoring Carolyn's question, "and what gives you the right to just walk into my home without knocking?"

"I came by to apologize for just showing up here yesterday," Carolyn said. "I wanted you to know that I was sorry for doing such a thing."

"Let me get this straight," Malcolm said his anger at Carolyn and her actions coming through in his voice. "You came over here today without calling to apologize for coming over yesterday without calling, and you make this apology by barging into my home without knocking. Is that what you're saying Carolyn?"

"When you put it like that you make my apology seem like a ploy to get into your house," Carolyn remarked.

"It sounds that way because that's what it is," Malcolm said.

"Why are you getting so upset?" Carolyn asked. "As a friend I would think I would be welcomed in your home anytime I wanted to visit."

"As a friend you should respect my wishes when I tell you, I don't have time for visitors," Malcolm said.

"What is going on with you?" Carolyn asked giving Malcolm an intense look. "Every since this Sabella person has come to town you've stayed hold up in this house not coming to town for anything. People are starting to talk and their growing suspicious of the way you've been acting."

"People are starting to talk and grow suspicious of what?" Malcolm almost screamed. "The fact that I have a visitor who has no interest in meeting or getting to know any of my friends or associates? That is her right."

"It's not normal!," Carolyn screamed back. "The woman is acting as if she's got something to hide, like she's committed a crime or something. Even Sheriff Jenkins thinks she's on the run from the police."

"Sheriff Jenkins?" Malcolm said. "What does he have to do with this?" Are you here trying to gather information about Sabella to take back to him?"

"He just asked me to come by and see if I could get a look at the woman so that he could check and make sure, she's not on the run from the police. He was only looking out for you, Malcolm and the rest of the people of Culbert County."

"You need to leave Carolyn," Malcolm said trying to wring in his anger.

"I was only trying to look out for you," Carolyn said.

"I don't need you to look out for me," Malcolm said. "I'm capable of looking out for myself. The only thing I want you to do for me is to keep your nose out of my business, and you can go back and tell Sheriff Jenkins that Sabella hasn't committed any crimes, so he can quit worrying that she's a danger to anyone in Culbert County."

"I'm sorry, Malcolm," Carolyn said. "I wasn't trying to insult you or your guest. I was truly worried about you."

"No you weren't," Malcolm said. "You came over here seeking information neither you nor Sheriff Jenkins is entitled to. This is my house and I have the right to invite anyone, I chose to stay here. There isn't a law that says I have to introduce my guests to the Sheriff, you or anyone else in Culbert County. I want you to leave Carolyn, and I don't want to see you on my land again unless I invite you, in other words; no more surprise visits, no more walking into my house because you find the doors unlocked. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes," Carolyn replied as she made her way to the front door.

Malcolm followed behind her closing the door in her face when she turned to him once again to apologize.

'Sabella was right', Malcolm thought to himself. 'Carolyn and the Sheriff are working together.'

They were both trying to find out about Sabella. 

He knew why Carolyn wanted to know about Sabella, to protect a relationship that would never exist between him and her.

It was the Sheriff's interest in Sabella he couldn't understand.

'Why was the man working so hard to find out the identity of a woman he couldn't possibly know?' Malcolm asked himself.

While Malcolm was dealing with Carolyn, Sabella took the back stairs and made her way upstairs to her room. Tired of feeling victimized, she decided she needed to start fighting and protecting herself possibly using the law of the day.

Sabella realized the thing that crippled or made most African-Americans victims during the 1950's was their inability or limited ability to gain access to information that would garner them the protection they needed and were entitled to. 

Well, she was in 1954, but she wasn't defenseless. She had tools she could use to protect herself, and she would use them. She had to use them. Sheriff Jenkins was dangerous and she wouldn't be caught like a defenseless new born babe, going against him.

Sabella went into her room, closed the door and pulled out her laptop. She turned it on and waited for it to power up and connect to the internet.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she clicked on her web browser and her homepage appeared. She clicked on the search bar and typed in; Texas Segregation Laws, and she waited for the results.

She got over a million possible results.

'This is going to take some time,' Sabella thought to herself, 'but it has to be done.' Her determination in place she clicked on the first result and started the research that just might keep her safe in 1954.

Sheriff Jenkins walked into his office surprised to find Malcolm Matheson waiting for him. The look on his Malcolm's face told him the conversation they were going to have wasn't going to be a pleasant one.

"Hello, Malcolm," Sheriff Jenkins said his tone revealing his surprise at seeing Malcolm in his office. "What brings you to town today?"

"You," Malcolm replied his voice curt and tense.

"Me?" Sheriff Jenkins replied pretending he didn't know why Malcolm would want to see him.

"Yes, you, Sheriff," Malcolm said. "I came by so you could ask me the questions you asked both Mabel and Carolyn about me. Although I don't understand why you would question Carolyn about anything concerning me or what's going own in my home, since she wouldn't know anything at all."

"I don't recall asking either Mabel or Carolyn anything about you," Sheriff Jenkins said.

"I apologize," Malcolm said. "I misspoke. You didn't ask them anything about me. Your focus seems to be on my houseguest, and I would like to know why you're so interested in her."

"I'm just doing my job, Malcolm," Sheriff Jenkins said. "Your guest is behaving suspiciously, and I'm just trying to figure out why."

"There is nothing suspicious about my houseguest's behavior," Malcolm said.

"If you would introduce her to me, it would go a long way towards easing my mind about her," Sheriff Jenkins said.

"My houseguest doesn't want to meet you," Malcolm said, "and I'm not going to force her to do so, and if you keep harassing me and my visitors I'm going to cause a lot of trouble for you and your Uncle the Mayor."

"Are you threatening me?" Sheriff Jenkins asked.

There was a knock at the door before Malcolm could answer the Sheriff.

"Come in," the Sheriff snarled.

In walked the Mayor, Jethro Jones. A sixty-eight year old, grey haired, balding man, standing five feet, ten inches tall, weighing about two hundred-fifty pounds most of it centering around his belly.

"What's going on here?" the Mayor asked looking back and forth between Malcolm and his nephew.

"I'm here to ask your nephew why he's harassing me," Malcolm said, "and to warn him that if he doesn't stop, I'm going to cause big problems for you and for him."

"The Sheriff won't be causing you anymore trouble," Mayor Jones said looking over at his nephew. "Will you Carl?"

"He just threatened me!" Sheriff Jenkins said.

"I didn't threaten him," Malcolm said. "I simply told him the same thing I just told you. Either he leaves me alone or there will be trouble."

"You have my word Malcolm," Mayor Jones said, "if the Sheriff bothers you again I'll see to it that he loses his job."

Sheriff Jenkins head shot up and his eyes grew big when he heard what his Uncle said.

"I don't want anyone to lose their job," Malcolm said. "I simply want to be left alone."

"You have my word," Mayor Jones assured him, "no one from this office will bother you again. Will they Carl?"

Carl grudgingly agreed with his Uncle not to bother, Malcolm or to go on to his property again without a legal reason to do so.

"Thank you J.J.," Malcolm said. "I'm trusting you to keep your nephew in line."

"I promise you Carl won't bother you or your guest again," the Mayor said.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" the Mayor asked slapping Sheriff Jenkins upside the head. "Why are you dipping into the business of the wealthiest man in the county? Are you trying to cost both of us our jobs?"

"No, I'm not," Sheriff Jenkins said, "but something is going on, on that ranch."

"Whatever's going on, on that ranch is none of our business," J.J. said to his nephew. "Malcolm is a legacy and we don't mess with legacies."

Sheriff Jenkins sat down in his chair the wind gone out of his sail because his Uncle was right. He couldn't touch Malcolm because he was a legacy.

The situation had become a challenge to him now and a challenge was something Carl Jenkins couldn't pass up. Legacy or not he was going to find out who, Malcolm's houseguest was.

Malcolm pulled up into his driveway, got out of his car anxious to tell Sabella about his visit to the Sheriff's office. 

He was glad he would be able to tell her, she didn't have to worry about Sheriff Jenkins any longer because he had the assurance of the Mayor that Jenkins wouldn't bother them again.

When he entered the house Malcolm heard Mabel and Sabella in the kitchen laughing, so he headed towards the kitchen.

"How did it go?" Mabel asked when he walked into the kitchen.

"The Mayor promised that Carl wouldn't bother us again," Malcolm said.

"How did you manage that?" Sabella asked.

"It was probably because he's a le...."

"I told him if the Sheriff didn't stop harassing me, I was going to rain, all kinds of trouble on him and the Sheriff," Malcolm said stopping Mabel before she could finish what she was about to say.




Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 06



"Do you think the Sheriff will listen to the Mayor?" Sabella asked Malcolm.

"Mayor Jones is the Sheriff's Uncle," Malcolm said, "and he enjoys his job and the perks that come with it too much to risk it, even for his nephew. If he says that the Sheriff will leave us alone, then the Sheriff will leave us alone."

"I want to thank you guys for getting it done so quickly," Mark said to the contractor.

"You made it worth our while, Mr. Jamison," the contractor said.

"Yeah, but you guys still did the work, and you did it quickly and professionally," Mark said. "I'm giving you a bonus to pay your employees, who worked on this project. I want them to know I really appreciate the long hours they put in."

"They'll appreciate you rewarding them for their hard work," the contractor said.

Mark walked into Sabella's house after paying the contractor to find his wife and baby daughter resting on the couch in the living room. Regina was lying on the couch their daughter lying on her chest.

"How are my girls?" Mark asked leaning over, giving his wife a kiss on the lips waking her and his daughter a kiss on the cheek.

"Your big girl is tired," Regina replied, "and your little girl is ready for her nap."

"Thank you," Mark said realizing how his wife had without question supported his efforts to bring his sister back home. 

He thought his love for her couldn't grow any deeper, but it had, when she without question supported him and believed his sister when she told them what happened to her.

"You don't have to thank me," Regina said. "Sabella was my friend before she became my sister. Our bond was formed before I married you. I know she wouldn't lie about something like this. She loves you too much to put you through the worry and stress something like this would cause you. She goes out of her to make sure you don't have to worry about her."

Mark knew that his wife was right. He and Sabella lost their parents a year ago when they were killed in a car accident caused by his father falling asleep behind the wheel.

The loss of their parent was still fresh for both him and Sabella and Sabella wouldn't add to his pain by lying to him.

Mark pulled out his cell phone and started to dial Sabella's cell phone number.

"Are you going to tell her what we found out online?" Regina asked.

"I have to," Mark said stopping himself before he pushed the button that contained the last number of Sabella's cell phone number and would connect him to his sister. "If I don't she won't be able to protect herself."

"You know Sabella will want to leave Malcolm's home once she finds out," Regina said. "Where will she go? Malcolm is the only person she knows and Sabella isn't going to want to leave the house because just like you, she probably feels that the key to getting back her some how involves the house."

"Everything you're saying is true, Regina," Mark said, "but I have to tell Sabrina what I found out. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night if I didn't tell her."

"Maybe you should talk to Malcolm," Regina suggested. "Tell him what you found out and let him explain things to Sabella."

"I'm not willing to risk his reaction to finding out, we know," Mark said. "If I tell Sabella she'll stand a better chance of protecting herself."

"If you tell her you might force her out of the only place she feels and is safe," Regina said. "You're going to put her in a position where she really has no choice but to leave. You're going to force her to give up the only place, she feels safe Mark. You might even force her into the arms of the very danger you're trying to protect her from."

"What would you have me do, Regina?" Mark asked.

"Talk to Malcolm," Regina said. "He doesn't know what you know Mark. By talking to him, you can come to your own conclusion about the type of man he is."

"And if I don't get a good vibe off of him?"

"You tell Sabella what you then you tell her to get into her baby and get the hell out of there," Regina said. "I'm simply asking you to make a little effort to gather more information on the situation before possibly force Sabella out of his home."

"Alright," Mark said redialing Sabella's number, "but if I don't get a good vibe off this guy I'm telling Sabella to get the hell out of Malcolm's house."

"I wouldn't expect you to do anything less," Regina said.

Sabella was still in the kitchen with Malcolm and Mabel when her cell phone began to vibrate. She reached into her pocket, pulled out her phone, flipped it open and answered it.

"Hello, Mark," Sabella said.

"Hello, sis," Mark replied. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay," Sabella replied. "How are you, Regina and my little namesake?"

"I'm fine, Regina is fine," Mark said, "and your little carbon copy of yourself is taking a nap, and she is fine."

Sabella chuckled.

"I had your roof fixed," Mark said.

"You didn't have to do that," Sabella said. "I was going to have it fixed when I returned home."

"I had to do it," Mark said, "if Regina, I and the baby are going to stay here. I also paid off your mortgage," Mark said deciding to tell her everything.

"Why would you do that?" Sabella asked.

"It seems that your friend, Gloria and the real estate company she works for are running a scam where they sell houses that appear to be well made and well maintained to unsuspecting people looking forward to moving to Tyler. The people buy the houses without getting time inspected..."

"only to find out once they move in that the house isn't as sturdy as they claim, and it needs a lot of work done to it to make it habitable," Sabella said finishing what her brother was about to say.

"Yes," Mark said. "Your house has been sold five times. The real estate company Gloria works for always bought it back each time."

"At a loss of course to the person they sold the house to," Sabella said. "I can't believe, I fell for such a scheme."

"Gloria took advantage of your trust," Mark said.

"She took advantage of my stupidity," Sabella said her voice holding a hint of anger.

"You considered her to be your friend," Mark said. "You didn't expect her to con you. You expected her to be honest."

"This is my fault, Mark," Sabella said. "I expected her to protect me, so I didn't worry about protecting myself, and I got taken."

Mark remained silent because there was nothing he could say in response to what Sabella said.

"Does Malcolm know about your cell phone?" Mark asked a few seconds later.

"Yes," Sabella replied wondering why her brother would ask such a question.

"I need to talk to him," Mark said.

"Why?" Sabella asked.

"To ease my mind about you staying with him," Mark replied. "I just realized you've been there with him a week, and I know nothing about the man. I just want to talk to him to ease my mind."

Although she didn't understand the logic of her brother's request Sabella did as he requested and let Malcolm know that he wanted to talk to him.

"My brother would like to speak to you," Sabella said holding her cell phone out to Malcolm.

"Why would he want to speak to me?" Malcolm asked looking at the phone as if it were a rattle snake.

"He wants your assurance that I'm safe here with you," Sabella said. "It's because of the situation and the fact that he doesn't know you. It's just to ease his mind."

Malcolm's hand slowly reached out for the phone.

"It's just like a regular phone, Malcolm," Sabella said teasing him. "It's not going to bite you."

"Hello," Malcolm said his voice shaky realizing he was talking to a person that hadn't actually been born yet.

"Hello," Mark replied, his voice shaking just as badly as Malcolm's at the thought of knowing that he was talking to a man from the past who could possibly be no longer alive. "I'm Mark, Sabella's brother," he said introducing himself to Malcolm.

"I know," Malcolm said. "I'm Malcolm Matheson, the man she's staying with."

For some reason, that statement made Mark want to reach through the phone, grab Malcolm by the neck and strangle him.

"Hold on a minute," Mark said as he moved the phone away from his ear to gain control of his anger.

He knew anger had no place in this situation because Sabella had no choice. She wasn't staying with Malcolm because she wanted to. He didn't want to anger Malcolm because he needed the man to be honest with him.

"I told my sister, I wanted to talk to you because I wanted your assurance, she would be safe with you," Mark said after placing his cell phone back up to his ear, "but that wasn't the only reason I wanted to talk to you."

"Okay," Malcolm said looking over at Sabella, who was looking at him and listening intently to his end of the conversation, he was having with her brother.

"Has, Sabella told you about something we call the Internet?" Mark asked.

"Yes," Malcolm replied sensing that the one word answers he was giving Mark was the best thing for him to do at this point.

"Well, I did an Internet search on you and the Double M Ranch in Tyler, Texas, and I need to talk to you about what I found out," Mark said. "I need you to tell me whether or not what I found out is true."

"I can do that," Malcolm said.

Malcolm listened as Mark told him what he found online about him and the Double M Ranch. As Mark spoke visions and memories of his childhood flooded Malcolm's mind. 

Visions that he had managed not to forget because he couldn't forget them, but he'd managed to accept them because they weren't his fault, he didn't create the memories.

"I have two questions for you," Mark said after he told Malcolm what he found.

"Go ahead," Malcolm said.

"Is what I read true and is my sister in danger?" Mark asked.

"Yes," Malcolm replied to the first question.

"No," he said to the second one.

Mark wanted to demand that Malcolm give him proof that Sabella would be safe, but he knew that in their current situation, there was no proof that Malcolm could give him. 

So, he did what he had to do and accepted the determination, he heard in Malcolm's voice when he said that Sabella wasn't in any danger.

"I'm trusting you," Mark said his voice trembling as he fought the helplessness he felt because of the situation and his desire to threaten Malcolm and tell him if anything happened to Sabella he would pay because it would do nothing to help the situation, and he could surely put Sabella in danger depending on how Malcolm reacted to being threatened.

"And I'm giving you my word that Sabella is safe," Malcolm said hoping Mark could hear the truth of his promise as he spoke. "Nothing and no one will harm her as long as I draw breath, I promise."

"I suggest you tell Sabella what I found out online," Mark said, "because if she finds out on her own she might not give you a chance to explain. She'll be out of your house like a bullet shot from a rifle."

"Alright," Malcolm said after giving Mark suggestion some thought, "I'll do as you say."

"Thank you," Mark said, "for everything."

"You're welcome," Malcolm replied passing the phone back to Sabella.

"Do you feel better brother dear?" Sabella asked teasing her brother.

"Yes," Mark replied. "He's going to tell you something very disturbing. I want you to promise me that you'll listen to him, and if you feel the need to you'll call me after he talks to you."

"What is it, Mark?" Sabella asked.

"I think Malcolm should be the one to tell you," Mark said. "Just promise me you'll listen to him."

"I promise," Sabella said feeling uneasy because she didn't know what her brother was talking about but trusting him because she knew he loved her, and if she was in any danger he would've told him what Malcolm was going to tell her, himself.

"I've got to go," Mark said. "I want you to call me after your talk with Malcolm."

"Only if I feel the need to," Sabella said.

"Alright," Mark replied. "I love you."

"I love you too," Sabella said closing her phone ending the call.

"What is it, you have to tell me?" Sabella asked turning to Malcolm.

"Can you access this Internet on your computer?" Malcolm asked.

"Yes," Sabella replied.

"Go get it please," Malcolm said. "I think showing you will be a better way for me to explain things to you."

"How do you think she's going to react?" Mabel asked after Sabella left the kitchen to go upstairs to get her laptop.

"I hope she does as her brother said and gives me a chance to explain," Malcolm said.

"I hope she does too," Mabel said. "Because if she leaves, here she'll be in more danger than she knows."



Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 07



Malcolm went into the living room to wait for Sabella. She came downstairs a few minutes later laptop in hand. She joined Malcolm in the living room. She sat next to him on the couch.

"How do you use your computer to use this thing called the Internet?" Malcolm asked.

"I have to turn it on," Sabella said turning on her laptop. "Once it's on it connects to the Internet."

"Once it's on and connected I need you to look for information concerning the Double M Ranch," Malcolm said.

"I'm not going to like this am, I?" Sabella asked as she logged on to the Internet.

"No, you're not," Malcolm replied. "Your brother feels that you should know what you're about to learn, and I agree with him."

Sabella clicked on her web browser and waited for her homepage to open up.

She then clicked on the search field and typed in; Double M Ranch, Tyler, Texas. She hesitated pressing the enter button because it would start a process she wouldn't be able to stop.

"I don't like surprises," Sabella said, "tell me what I'm going to see."

Malcolm took a deep breath and began telling Sabella the story of the Double M Ranch.

"Until a year ago this place, this land wasn't a ranch," Malcolm said. "My father when he was alive was the Grand Wizard of the local branch of the Ku Klux Klan."

As expected Sabella was shocked and she moved away from Malcolm. The hurt he felt at her reaction to what he said surprised and overwhelmed him.

"My father used the land for Klan rallies," Malcolm said stamping down the pain, he felt from the look of disgust on Sabella's face and continuing with what he had to say. "Everything that had to do with the Klan was held on this land. My father was very proud of being the Grand Wizard. He considered the position to be one of honor, and he expected me to follow in his footsteps when he became too old to perform the duties of the Grand Wizard. But, to his chagrin and disappointment I had no desire to follow in his footsteps. I was ten years old when I understood what the Klan stood for but even at that age I knew that what they stood for and what they did was wrong. I refused to attend anymore of the meetings and to have anything to do with my father or the Klan."

"That must've made your father very angry with you," Sabella said.

"Yes, it did," Malcolm replied, "My father said, I couldn't do that, especially since I was his only son, and he held the top position in the Klan. He said my refusal to attend the rallies would reflect badly on him, and he couldn't allow me to do that. So, he forced me to attend the meetings and the cross burnings by threatening to burn down the home of my best friend Jesse. A colored boy about my age that I had become friends with when I was about five years old."

"Your father allowed you to have a colored child as a friend?" Sabella asked amazed that his father would allow such a thing.

"When I became friends with Jesse, he wasn't happy about it," Malcolm said. "He told my mother that he wanted her to keep me away from Jesse because it wasn't right for a white boy and a nigger boy to be friends and my befriending a nigger boy would reflect badly on him because of his position in the Klan. My mother wasn't like my father, she was, in fact, the exact opposite of my father in every way. She told my father that the friendship couldn't do any damage to him because the two of us were just babies. She didn't tell my father that Jesse and I had met because she was friends with Jesse's mother. She kept their friendship a secret because she knew how my father would react."

"How did your mother wind up married to your father if they didn't have the same beliefs?" Sabella asked.

"My father presented a totally different picture to my mother when they were dating," Malcolm said. "It wasn't until they were married that my mother and my mother was pregnant with me that she found out the type of man my father really was."

"Why didn't she divorce him?" Sabella asked.

"My mother didn't believe in divorce," Malcolm said. "She took her marriage vows seriously."

"I guess so," Sabella said amazed at what she was hearing.

"When I told my mother about my father threatening to burn down Jesse's home if I didn't attend the Klan rallies, she told me that I had to end my friendship with Jesse because seeing him would put him and his family in danger. We went over to Jesse's house one last time so my mother could explain to his mother why she, and I wouldn't be coming around anymore. Jesse's mother understood. She told my mother, she would miss their friendship, but she agreed with her that it was the right thing to do."

"I bet you missed your friend," Sabella remarked her tone sad just thinking how she would've felt if she wasn't allowed to have Regina as her friend for whatever reason.

"I did," Malcolm replied. "Jesse and I didn't understand why we couldn't be friends, so we would meet secretly and play together. We did this for months and thought we were getting away with it. I didn't know that my father saw me leaving home one day when I was sneaking off to meet Jesse and followed me to see where I was going. When he saw that I was going over to Jesse's house, he told me that he wanted to grab me and take me home and give me a beating I would never forget. But, he didn't because he came up with what he considered a better way to teach me a lesson, something he knew I would never forget."

"What did he do?" Sabella asked.

"That night as I was preparing to go to bed my father told me he wanted me to take a little drive with him," Malcolm said his breathing becoming labored. "When I recognized where he was taking me, I knew I wasn't going to like what he was going to show me. My father drove until we were sitting over a ridge that overlooked Jesse's house. He turned to me and told me that he knew I was sneaking off playing with Jesse, and since I wouldn't obey him, he had no choice but to do as he said and burn his house down."

"Oh, my god," Sabella said.

"I begged him not to burn his house down," Malcolm said his voice becoming shaky. "I told him he didn't have to burn Jesse's house down because I would never visit him again. But, he wouldn't listen. He said I broke his rule and somebody had to pay for it, and I decided it would be Jesse and his family when I didn't obey him."

Sabella's eyes filled with tears as she imagined the fear and dread Malcolm must've felt when he realized what his father was about to do.

"My father flicked his headlights on and off," Malcolm said continuing his story. "Few seconds after he did that I saw someone dressed in white carrying a torch run towards Jesse's house and throw the torch onto the front porch. Then another person dressed in white appeared a few seconds after the first one also carrying a torch and threw it onto the back porch. I continued to plead and beg my father to stop what he was doing. I promised him once again that I wouldn't play with Jesse ever again. I even promised to go to the Klan rallies and cross burnings if he would just stop, but he wouldn't stop.

Sabella reached out and took hold of Malcolm's hand as he continued with his story.

"His Klan buddies kept throwing flaming torches at Jesse's house until it caught on fire. I stared at the house expecting Jesse, his mother, his father and his little sister to coming running out of it, but they didn't. I prayed they were away visiting family, or that they were being held outside of the house forced to watch it burn that would've been bad but they would've been alive. Anything would've been better than what my father said to me."

Malcolm stared out into space as he continued telling Sabella what happened that awful night.

"He said that all of this was my fault that Jesse and his family were losing their home and their lives was my fault because I disobeyed him. When I realized what he said I started screaming, and trying to get out of the truck so that I could help Jesse and his family escape from the fire. But, that bastard grabbed me and wouldn't turn me loose. He kept telling me that they were losing their home and their lives because of me, because I disobeyed him."

As Malcolm spoke Sabella looked at him and her heart began to weep for him seeing the fear and anger that filled his eyes as he relived the terror of that night.

It was the tears that she saw forming in his eyes, that slowly made their way down his cheek and his body shaking as he spoke that made Sabella reach out and put her arms around him to comfort him and try to ease some of the pain he had to be feeling. 

As he continued to speak her own tears began falling as she imagine what he must've felt watching his friend's home and family perish in such a horrible manner because his father chose such a sick way to punish him, to try and teach him a lesson.

Malcolm didn't realize he was crying and shaking until he felt Sabella's arms go around him bringing him back to himself.

He wondered when she moved close enough to him to put her arms around him. Her holding him brought back memories of his mother holding him trying to comfort him when he and his father returned home that night and he was crying uncontrollably.

"What have you done to him?" he remembered his mother screaming at his father as they stood on their front porch.

"I taught him a lesson," was all his father would say as he nonchalantly made his way his way into the house.

"I told my mother what he had done," Malcolm said wiping his eyes and continuing the story. "My mother started crying and screaming when she realized my father and his Klan members had killed her friend and her friend's family. My father screamed that it wasn't his fault. He said that it was my mother's and my fault, and it wouldn't have happened if we had done as he said and stayed away from Jesse and his family. That night my mother told me, we were not staying there. She told me to go upstairs, and to pack up the things I wanted to take with me because we were never returning to the house again. My father tried to keep us from leaving but my father had gotten in touch with her family, and they came over and helped us move out of the house. The next morning my mother filed for divorce, and it was granted in less than twenty-four hours. That was the day I found out that my father wasn't the one who held the wealth in our family, it was my mother's family that had the money. She told my grandfather what happened, how my father blamed me and made me watch the house burn knowing that Jesse and his family were still in it. My grandfather became so angry, he gathered up a group of men, and they went over to our house and threw my father off of the land. My grandfather told him, that since he was no longer married to my mother, he was no longer family, and he could no longer live on land that he owned."

Tears fell out of both Sabella's eyes and Malcolm's eyes as they held each other, and he continued telling his story.

"After my grandfather threw my father off of the land, and he wouldn't allow him to continue using it for his Klan activities my father took him to court and the court said because the land because it became community property after my grandfather gifted it to my mother after they were married and my father had a right to use the land anyway he saw fit. So, my father could use the land to hold his Klan activities until the day he died. Which happened five years ago. My father died five years ago but the memory of what he'd done to Jesse and his family was still so deeply engrained in my mind, I couldn't set foot on this land until last year. It took me over to get over twenty years to over what my father did to me and to be able to step on this property again. When my grandfather died, I learned from his attorney that he left me this piece of land to me. I wanted nothing to do with it. I told his attorney to sell it and donate the money to an organization that helped colored children hoping it would be a start to making up for what my father did to Jesse and his family. Then I was told by my grandfather's attorney that I couldn't sell the property for ten years, so I was stuck with it. But, I couldn't and wouldn't come back here, I had made up my mind that I would never come back here. Then I heard that the Klan was still using the property even though my father was dead. That was the only reason I came back to Culbert County otherwise there was nothing here for me."

By the time Malcolm finished telling Sabella about his father, and what he'd gone through tears were streaming down Sabella's face.

Malcolm put his arms around her and held her against his chest.

"I'm so sorry you went through that," Sabella said through her tears. "I'm sorry your friend and his family lost their lives in such a horrible manner. How could your father force his son to witness something so horrible?"

"He was only interested in teaching me that I shouldn't disobey him and what would happen if I did," Malcolm said resting, his chin on Sabella's head. "He didn't care if or how it affected me as long as he made his point."

"But you were only a child," Sabella said moving away from his chest and looking up at him, staring into his eyes.

She saw his pain from what he'd suffered and he saw her compassion for what he'd gone through.

They both saw something else that neither of them could identify or name. Whatever it was drew them towards each other like two opposite ends poles of a magnet. 

It was Sabella, who realized what was happening and broke the attraction.

"So, you're going to wait out the ten years your grandfather put on selling the property, and then you're going to sell it and leave?" Sabella asked to bring them back to conversation at hand.

"Yes," Malcolm said. "As I said before there is nothing here for me in Culbert County."

"Are you sure you're going to want to sell this place after being here that long?" Sabella asked.

"Yes," Malcolm replied. "This place holds only bad memories for me."

"Maybe that's why your grandfather wanted you to wait ten years before selling the land," Sabella said, "to give yourself the chance to make good memories here. To keep you from doing the first thing that popped into your mind when you found out, he left you the land. You've already started by tearing down the old house and building a new one, and I'm sure there has to be some good memories here of spending time with your mother before things went bad. Maybe that's what your grandfather wanted you to remember."

Malcolm looked at the woman sitting before him amazed that she was, able to figure out just from hearing his story something he hadn't been able to figure out since the day he found out his grandfather left him the land. She was right his grandfather wanted him to take the time to create good memories on the land and to remember the good times, he shared with his mother here.

Things he couldn't remember because he was holding on the bad memories his father created. He almost missed what his what his grandfather was trying to do for him.

"Thank you," he said pulling Sabella into his arms. "Thank you so much."

"For what?" Sabella asked.

"You helped me realize what my grandfather wanted me to do and to see," Malcolm said. "Something I couldn't see because I let the bitterness I was feeling could my vision. Thank you so much."

"I'm glad I could help," Sabella said smiling up at him.

After talking to Malcolm, Sabella took her laptop and went, upstairs to her room to call her brother.

"Did he tell you?" Mark asked.

"Yes," Sabella said. "He told me, his father was the Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. He also told me that wasn't a part of his father's Klan activities."

"Did you go online and read the details about his father online?" Mark asked.

"No," Sabella replied. "I asked him to tell me what it was he wanted to show me online."

"Do you believe him?" Mark asked.

"Yes," Sabella replied.

"Are you going to stay in the house?" Mark asked.

"Yes," Sabella said, "but I'm going to be very careful. At the first sign of trouble, I'm out of here."

"Where will you go?" Mark asked.

"I don't know," Sabella said, "but I'm not staying anywhere I don't feel safe."

"I want you to set up your Web cam," Mark said changing the subject. "I want to be able to see you and know that you're okay while we talk."

"Okay," Sabella said. "I had forgotten my computer had a built in Web cam. I'll set it up tonight and talk to you tomorrow."

"No," Mark said. "I want you to set it right now. So, I'll know whether or not it works."

"Okay," Sabella said. "I'll set it up now."

Sabella reached for her laptop, turned it on and went through the steps required to set up her Web cam with her Yahoo messenger then she crossed her fingers clicked on her brother's name, clicked okay on the warning screen and closed her eyes.

"You can open your eyes, Sabella," her brother said.

Sabella opened her eyes and started crying when she saw on her computer screen was an image of her brother live and in living color.

"Mark?" Sabella said, "is that you?"

"Yes, it's me," Mark said wiping away a tear from his own eyes. "I'm so glad to see you."

"I'm so glad to see you," Sabella said a smile splitting her face in half. "I can't believe this thing is working."

"I'm glad it is working," Mark said. "What part of the house, are you in?"

"The guest bedroom," Sabella said. "The one across from the master bedroom."

"Why did he put you there?" Mark asked his tone suspicious.

"Where would you have him put me?" Sabella asked, "in the garage?" This is the only other room beside the master bedroom that has its own bathroom."

"I thought the other rooms had a Jack and Jill bathroom," Mark said.

"That was added later by another owner," Sabella said.

"Do you lock your door at night?" Mark asked.

"Yes, I do," Sabella said, "but not because I'm afraid of Malcolm. I don't think he could ever see ma as more than a friend."

"White men in 1950's had an awful habit of just taking black women, whether the woman was interested in him or not," Mark said.

"I don't think Malcolm would do something like that," Sabella said. "He's been nothing but nice and accommodating."

"I'm just telling you to be careful," Mark said. "Remember you're in 1954 not 2009 things are totally different for you there."

"I know," Sabella said rolling her eyes up to the ceiling. "I promise I will be careful."

"I know you can take care of yourself, Sabella," Mark said, "but I'm going to worry about you because if you need me, I won't be able to help you."

As her brother spoke Sabella saw tears rolling out of his eyes down his cheeks.

She began crying herself when she heard the helplessness in his voice.

"I promise I'll be careful," Sabella assured him.

There was a knock on Sabella's door as she spoke to her brother. 

It was Malcolm.

"Mabel wants to know if you're eating lunch?" he asked when Sabella opened the door.

"Yes," Sabella said.

The two of them stood in the doorway staring at each other.

"What're you doing?" Malcolm asked.

"Chatting with my brother," Sabella replied. 

"Would you like to meet him?"

"Excuse me?" Malcolm said a confused look on his face.

"I'm chatting with him using my Web cam," Sabella said. "Would you like to meet him?"

Curious to see what a Web cam was Malcolm agreed to meet Mark.

He followed her into her bedroom over to the bed where her laptop sat.

On the screen, he was a colored man who could only be Sabella's brother the family resemblance couldn't be missed. The look on Mark's face was one of, mistrust and suspicion. 

"Mark, I would like you to meet Malcolm Matheson," Sabella said introducing Malcolm to her brother. "And Malcolm I would like you to meet my brother Mark Jamison."

The two men stared at each other neither of them saying anything for a few seconds.




Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 07



"Hello, Malcolm," Mark said breaking the silence but still staring at Malcolm.

"Hello," Malcolm said taking a step back surprised that Mark, could actually speak and see him, and he could do the same to him.

"I'm glad to be able put a face with the voice," Mark said.

"Me too," Malcolm replied.

"Sabella tells me that you told her that you weren't involved in your father's Klan activities," Mark said deciding to get the thing he most concerned about out in the open, "and she said she believes you. So, I'm going to believe you too."

"Okay," Malcolm said raising an eyebrow.

At that moment Regina and little Sabella appeared on the screen.

"Hey girl," Regina said glad to see her friend/sister.

"Hi," Sabella replied. "Hold up my niece so that I can see her."

Regina held the baby up so Sabella could see her little namesake.

"Hello, Boo-boo," Sabella cooed.

Little Sabella smile and reached out to touch the screen when she saw her Aunt and heard her voice.

"Ga-ga," little Sabella said reaching out and touching the screen.

"Hey, Boo-boo," Sabella said reaching out and touching the screen. "She has gotten so big," 

Sabella said wiping away tear that rolled down her cheek.

"She eats enough," Regina remarked.

"Hey," Sabella said laughing, "lay off my baby. She's a growing girl."

"No," Regina said. "She's just exercising the Jamison gene and eating everything in sight."

"That's my girl," Mark said joining the conversation and proudly puffing up his chest.

"I see you didn't tell Malcolm about me," Regina said noting the stunned look on Malcolm's face and his opened mouth.

"I didn't see a need to," Sabella said looking over at Malcolm. "I don't think he would've believed me anyway."

Hearing the women talking about him Malcolm closed his mouth, stuck his hands in his pockets and left the room.

"Girl you love to shock people," Regina said chuckling.

"You do too," Sabella said laughing along with her friend. "But this one wasn't planned."

Sabella talked to her family a few minutes longer and after promising to talk to them later that night, she said goodbye and turned her computer off.

She went downstairs and found Malcolm sitting on the couch a look of amazement on his face.

Sabella went over and sat in a chair opposite the couch and waited for him to speak. He looked up at her.

"I just spoke with your family," he said his voice filled with awe. "I just spoke to people who haven't been born yet."

"You also have one sitting in your living room," Sabella remarked.

"Your brother is married to Regina?" Malcolm asked.

"Yes," Sabella replied.

"And they live in Georgia?" Malcolm asked.

"Yes," Sabella replied.

"In Atlanta?" Malcolm asked still not believing Sabella.

"Yes," Sabella said. "In Atlanta."

"In Atlanta?" Malcolm said surprised at Sabella's answer. "They aren't afraid of being arrested and thrown in jail?"

"Marriages between whites and blacks are legal in all fifty states in 2009," Sabella replied.

"Even in Texas?" Malcolm asked not believing Sabella.

"The Supreme Court ruled in 1967 that all the laws banning interracial marriages were unconstitutional and that states didn't have the right to regulate, choose or decide whom a rational sane adult person decided to marry," Sabella said, "and yes that includes Texas."

"I'll be damned," Malcolm said amazed at what he was hearing.

Mabel came into the living room and announced that lunch was ready.

"You're going to tell me more about your time," Malcolm said.

"Okay," Sabella said as they made their way into the dining room for lunch, knowing that she had to be careful about the information, she shared with him because it could change the outcome of the future.

Three days later when Malcolm was coming downstairs to breakfast; there was a knock on his front door. He opened the door and was surprised to see Edward Winters, Carolyn's father standing on his front porch. 

The look on the man's face letting Malcolm know that he was very unhappy and Malcolm knew what it was he was unhappy about.

"Hello, Ed," Malcolm said stepping onto the front porch.

"Hello, Malcolm," Ed said. "Aren't you going to invite me in?"

"What can I do for you Ed?" Malcolm asked closing his front door.

Edward Winters a fifty year old, six feet tall, two hundred pound, salt and pepper redhead, green eyed, rancher stood on Malcolm's front porch staring at him.

"I came over to see why you, upset my daughter," Ed sad. "What is going on between you and Carolyn?"

"Nothing is going on between me and Carolyn," Malcolm said.

"Carolyn said you ordered her out of your house," Ed said, "and you slammed the door in her face."

"Carolyn showed up over here, and I told her I didn't have time for visitors," Malcolm said tiring of having to defend himself. "She shows up here again the next day and just walks into my house without knocking. What would you do if someone did that to you?"

"I wouldn't just throw that person out of my home," Ed said, "especially if they were a friend of mine."

"I didn't throw her out," Malcolm said his anger matching Ed's. "I asked her to leave after I found out, she was trying to get information from me about my guest for the Sheriff."

"Who is this woman?" Ed asked, "and why hasn't anyone else in town met her?"

"The answer to both of those questions is none of your business," Malcolm said his tone angry and defiant.

"What's wrong with you Malcolm?" Ed asked his voice holding a hint of concern. "What has this woman done to you?"

"She hasn't done anything to me," Malcolm said barely hiding his anger. "It's people whom I've known all my life and called friends, who are causing me problems. Simply, because I have a guest in my home who wants privacy."

"You have to admit her behavior is strange," Ed remarked.

"By whose standards?" Malcolm asked. "What's strange about her behavior?" She doesn't know anyone in Culbert County but me. Why should she want to be around strangers?"

"Is she sick?" Ed asked.

"No, she isn't sick," Malcolm said. "She's just taking some time away from her regular life."

"Family problems?" Ed asked.

"I'm not answering that question," Malcolm said.

Edward Winters stared at the young man, he'd known since birth. He knew about the horrible thing Malcolm's father did to him as a young boy of ten. 

He understood why it took Malcolm over twenty years to come back to Culbert County. What he couldn't understand was the change Malcolm had gone through, his desire to keep people, he'd known all his life at bay. 

Even before his visitor came to town Malcolm wasn't very sociable when it came to the people of Culbert County. He rarely came to town, he turned down all invitations to dinner, parties or town events.

So, Malcolm's desire for privacy and not socializing with people wasn't something new and everyone had grown use to it. 

Besides they knew Malcolm and his family, it was the woman, a stranger among them that was making everyone curious.

They weren't use to a person being so standoffish and antisocial.

"I think you should have a party," Ed said out of the blue.

"A party?" Malcolm said wondering what the man was talking about.

"Yeah," Ed said, "a party where you introduce your friend to everyone."

"No," Malcolm said, "there will be no party."

"Well how about a dinner then?" Ed said. "A small dinner party would allow you to introduce her to a small, select group of people from Culbert County."

"No," Malcolm said.

"Aren't you going to at least discuss it with the lady?"

"No."

"How long is she going to be here?"

"I'm not answering any questions," Malcolm said hoping the tone of his voice would tell Ed, he was serious.

"Why are you being so tight lipped about this woman?"

"I thought you came over here to defend your daughter's honor," Malcolm said when he realized they had strayed away from the reason for Ed's visit.

"I did," Ed said.

"Then why are we discussing something that doesn't concern you?" Malcolm asked. "Are you sure you aren't here trying to collect information for Sheriff Jenkins?" 

"Why would I do that?" Ed asked his tone letting Malcolm know that he was insulted by what he was suggesting.

"Because my guest seems to be all you're interested in," Malcolm remarked, "and the Sheriff sent Carolyn to try and find out what she could about my guest."

"Well, the Sheriff didn't send me over here," Ed said. "I'm a grown man, my parents have been gone for years, and they were the only ones who could send me anywhere."

"Is there anything else you want to discuss?" Malcolm asked tiring of dealing with Carolyn's father.

"No," Ed said. "I just wondered what happened between you and Carolyn."

"Well, I hope I answered your questions," Malcolm said, "and I would appreciate it if you talk to Carolyn and ask her not to pay me anymore unwelcome surprise visits."

"I understand what you're saying Malcolm," Ed said, "but don't you think you're being kind of harsh? You and Carolyn have been friends since birth. She's in the habit of showing up over here whenever she likes."

"As a friend I asked her to stop," Malcolm said, "and as a friend she should have done as I asked. But, she chose to ignore me and my request, so I had to get stern with her and let her know that I wasn't happy with the way she was ignoring my request. I'm not sorry I did it Ed because when I asked her kindly she pretended she didn't hear me. So, if her feelings are hurt, and she's upset Carolyn has no one to blame but herself."

"You've changed Malcolm," Ed remarked, "and I don't think it's for the better."

"That's your opinion Ed," Malcolm said, "and you're welcomed to it. If there is nothing else you have to discuss with me, I'm going back inside."

"Your father would've welcomed me inside the house, let me have a seat and offered me something to drink," Ed said. "He never would've let me stand on the porch to talk about something like this. You're nothing like your father Malcolm."

"That's the best compliment could've ever given me, Ed," Malcolm said a big smile on his face.

Malcolm went into the house leaving Carolyn's father standing on the front porch.

Ed Winters climbed into his car to head over to the Sheriff's office. Sheriff Jenkins wasn't going to be happy to find out that he got no further than his daughter did during his visit to Malcolm.

He also wasn't going to be happy when he told him that he agreed with Malcolm. If a man tells you he doesn't want visitors, whether your family or a friend his wishes should be respected, and you shouldn't try to force your way into his home.

Ed was feeling ashamed of himself for letting his daughter and the Sheriff talk him into coming over and trying to stick his nose into Malcolm's business where it didn't belong. 

He should have known that Carolyn and Sheriff Jenkins hadn't been completely honest with him. 

They didn't tell him that Malcolm slammed the door in his daughter's face because she wouldn't listen to Malcolm when he told her nicely that he didn't want her just showing up at his home. 

He would've done the same thing if he had been treated in such a manner. Disrespect begets disrespect.

'I'm going to have to talk to that daughter of mine when I get home,' Ed thought to himself. 'I will not allow her to draw me into the web of lies she's creating in her efforts to snag Malcolm. I will not allow her to use me, and she needs to know that.'



Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 08



Malcolm walked into the house and found Sabella standing in the foyer.

They stared at each other both knowing what the other was thinking.

Neither of them said a word as Sabella went upstairs to her room and Malcolm headed into the kitchen to eat breakfast.

"Who was at the door?" Mabel asked as he sat down at the table to eat.

"Ed Winters," Malcolm replied picking up his cup of coffee and taking a sip. "He came to find out why I told Carolyn to stop just showing up here uninvited."

"How did he take your answer?" Mabel asked.

"The only way he could," Malcolm said pushing his plate away, "he accepted it."

"How much you want to be the Sheriff sent him?" Mabel said.

"Probably with a little crying from Carolyn complaining about how badly I treated her," Malcolm said.

Sabella walked into the kitchen, went over to the cabinet, reached up and grabbed a glass, went over to the refrigerator, opened it, grabbed the carton of juice and poured herself a glass.

"Breakfast is still warm," Mabel said.

"Juice is enough for me this morning," Sabella said. "Thanks for offering."

Mabel and Malcolm watched Sabella as she left the kitchen.

"She's feeling guilty about the trouble you're having with the Sheriff, Carolyn, and now Ed," Mabel said.

"Why?" Malcolm asked. "None of this is her fault."

"I know that, you know that, even Sabella knows it," Mabel said, "but that doesn't keep her from feeling guilty."

"I'll talk to her," Malcolm said as he stood to leave the kitchen.

"Somebody needs to talk to those three troublemakers in town," Mabel said thrusting her hands into the dishwater.

"Ow!"

"What is it?" Malcolm asked rushing over to her.

"I cut my hand on the butcher knife," Mabel said taking her hand out of the dishwater.

Blood was rapidly streaming from the palm of Mabel's hand.

"Sabella!" Malcolm shouted as he took a dishcloth and applied pressure to the cut to try and stop the bleeding.

The sound of Malcolm's voice when he called her name told Sabella to bring her medical bag with her. So she did. 

She was glad she brought her medical bag when she went into the kitchen and saw blood coming from Mabel's hand and Malcolm applying pressure trying to stop the flow of blood.

"Drain the sink," she told Malcolm as she made her way over to Mabel, taking hold of her hand.

Malcolm drained the sink and removed the dishes.

"It's alright," Mabel said nonchalantly. "It's just a cut."

"I'll be the judge of that," Sabella said applying pressure to the cut.

"I can't believe I did something so dumb," Mabel said. "I know better than to just stick my hand in dirty dishwater."

"No since beating yourself up over something that's already happened," Malcolm said. "You'll just have to be more careful next time.

"It's not serious," Sabella said after examining the cut on the bottom of Mabel's hand. "A couple of stitches and a bandage and she'll be fine. You'll have to stay out of the kitchen for awhile."

"Whose going to cook?" Mabel asked, "and take care of Malcolm?"

"I'm sure Malcolm can take care of himself until you're able to get back on your feet," Sabella said.

"The boy can't boil water," Mabel chuckled.

"The boy is standing right here," Malcolm said reminding the ladies that he was still in the room.

"I guess you'll have to take over the kitchen," Mabel said to Sabella.

"I think both Malcolm and I should take over the kitchen," Sabella said.

"Meaning?" Malcolm asked.

"Meaning you're going to learn how to cook," Sabella said.

"Cooking is woman's work," Malcolm said.

"Cooking is the job of anyone who wants a say in what they eat," Sabella said, "or wants to stay alive. Besides in the future there is no such thing as woman's or man's work."

"Does that mean that women are growing beards and men are having babies in the future?" Malcolm asked.

"Those are biological functions," Sabella said, "and nothing can change those. What I'm saying is that any job a man can do a woman can and is doing. Even fighting in combat during wartime."

"You're lying," Malcolm said his tone unbelieving.

"No, I'm not," Sabella said.

"The next thing you'll tell me is a woman's President," Malcolm said teasing.

"We came very close," Sabella said.

"A woman ran for President?" Malcolm asked.

"Two women ran for President," Sabella said.

"You're telling me the country's going to hell in a hand basket," Malcolm said.

"I'm saying that the country is living up to what it started out to be," Sabella said, "a place where all its citizens are treated equally and given a chance to live out their dreams. Come on Mabel," Sabella said picking up her medical bag and still applying pressure to Mabel's injured hand. "I'll fix your hand upstairs, the smell of testosterones in, here is beginning to make me gag."

"Testosterone?" Mabel asked.

"Male hormones," Sabella replied.

Malcolm ran his hand over his face, he'd done it again. Using that thing between his nose and his chin he had upset Sabella.

"I'm sorry," Malcolm said. "I wasn't trying to upset you."

"You're just stating your opinion of women when it comes to being anywhere other than the kitchen," Sabella said.

"I don't have a low opinion of women," Malcolm said insulted by her remark. "My mother was the strongest person I know."

"Why did you make that crack about the country going to hell in a hand basket if a woman were President?" Sabella asked.

"I just can't see a woman becoming President," Malcolm said. "The thought is too big for me to wrap my mind around. It's like believing a colored man could become President."

Sabella was about to tell him a black man was President when Malcolm stopped her from speaking thinking that she thought he had a problem with colored peopled.

"I don't have a problem with colored people either," he said holding his hands out in surrender. "It's just the way the world works, certain things aren't going to happen."

Sabella didn't say anything in response to what Malcolm said. She turned her attention back to Mabel and her injured hand. She led Mabel's upstairs to the bathroom where she stitched and bandage the hand.

"Malcolm isn't a bad person," Mabel said as Sabella finished putting the bandage on. "He's just used to the way things are."

"I know," Sabella said, "and I understand that, but I'm not used to the way things are, that's why I have to get back to my time."

"Maybe you were sent back here to bring about a change," Mabel said.

"I don't think so," Sabella said chuckling. "I'm not the person meant to bring about any change during this time."

"Maybe you're meant to change one person instead of the whole of society," Mabel said.

"And who might that be?" Sabella teased.

"Malcolm," Mabel replied.

Sabella's eyes grew big. "You're kidding," she said.

"You've changed him already," Mabel said. "Did he tell you about his father?"

"Yes," Sabella replied. "He told me about his father being the Grand Wizard of the K.K.K. and about him burning down his best friend's home with him and his family in side."

"Because of what happened to his best friend Malcolm never became close to anyone again," Mabel said. "He felt that becoming friends with him would put people in danger so, he never allowed anyone to get close to him. It was his way of protecting himself and others."

Sabella understood that because Malcolm was so young when he witnessed the intentional death of his best friend and his best friend's family by his father that it would leave him scarred emotionally, so his desire to keep people at bay would be understandable but shed didn't believe that her being there would change the situation. Something that Mabel saw in her eyes.

"I understand why you don't believe your being here has brought a change in Malcolm," Mabel said, "but you have to believe me that it has. The morning he found you, his normal reaction would've been to solve the problem by calling the Sheriff and letting him deal with the situation. But, he didn't do that with you. The very first day he met you, he was concerned about you, protective, and you have to know that allowing you to stay in his home is very unusual and the ramifications if anyone finds out could be great."

"I can't argue with what you're saying about Malcolm allowing me to stay here because I know you're right," Sabella said, "and as far as his attitude towards me, I'm going to have to take your word on that. I think his behavior could have to do with the fact that I'm from the future, and he's curious about it and me."

"You might be right about him being curious about you and the future," Mabel said, "but his interest in you goes deeper than that. The way he protects you and keeps you hidden is Malcolm going out of his way and in all the years that I've known him, he's never done that for anyone. Because of his father, Malcolm became a hermit in every since of the word. A cold hard man, who only wanted to be left alone. That is until you came along."

"Let me take care of your hand," Sabella said ignoring what Mabel was saying and wanting to change the subject.

But, she didn't have to say anything because Mabel saw in her eyes that she believed what she said, and she would be thinking about it.

A few days later Mabel was in the grocery store when she bumped into Carolyn, who was surprised to see that Mabel had injured her hand.

"Whose taking care of Malcolm?" Carolyn asked.

"His friend Sabella brought her assistant with her," Mabel said. "She's taking over the cooking, cleaning, and doing all the things I can't do."

"Malcolm has two ladies staying with him?" Carolyn asked.

"Yes," Mabel said.

"Why didn't anyone mention this assistant when I visited Malcolm?" Carolyn asked.

"Maybe because it was none of your business," Mabel replied.

"I'm going to stop by Malcolm to see if he needs my help," Carolyn said.

"I suggest you call him," Mabel said. "I don't think he would appreciate you just stopping by."

"I'm sure he won't mind," Carolyn said. "I would simply be stopping by to see how he's doing since you've gone and injured yourself. There's no harm in that."

"There's plenty of harm if he doesn't want to see you," Mabel remarked. "Which is why I'm suggesting you call instead of just showing up at his home."

"I think I know Malcolm better than you do," Carolyn said her tone haughty, ,"since I've known him longer than you have, and I'm sure he won't mind me stopping by."

Mabel around and left turned leaving Carolyn standing in front of the grocery store wondering to herself why she tried to talk, some sense into the woman when she knew she wouldn't listen and talking to her always left her with a headache.

When Mabel returned to Malcolm's, she told him about the conversation she had with Carolyn.

"How am I going to find someone to play Sabella's assistant?" Malcolm asked knowing that Carolyn would be showing up on his doorstep at any moment.

"I can pretend to be my own assistant," Sabella said joining them in the kitchen.

"What!?" Malcolm and Mabel said in unison.

"I can pretend to be my own assistant," Sabella said repeating herself. "Malcolm can still pretend to have a guest, I'll just be helping out until Mabel's hand heals."

"What if they insist on meeting Sabella?" Mabel asked.

"Sabella is still being antisocial," Sabella said, "she still has no interest in meeting the townspeople."

"What're we going to call you?" Malcolm asked beginning to like the idea.

"You can call me by my middle name," Sabella said

"And what is your middle name?" Malcolm asked.

"This name is to only be used when I'm pretending to be the assistant," Sabella said her tone threatening. "Neither of you are allowed to call me by this name, unless there are other people in the room, and you have to remember that my parents are from the south."

"What is it?" Mabel asked wondering why Sabella was behaving the way she was.

"You have to promise not to use this name when I'm not pretending to be the assistant," Sabella demanded.

"We promise," Malcolm said. "Tell us what it is."

"RaeLynn," Sabella said.

Mabel put her hand over her mouth pretending to cough. Malcolm began to snicker put placed his hand over his mouth to try to stifle it and prevent it from coming out.

"Your mother gave you an exotic name like Sabella and turns around and gives you, RaeLynn as a middle name?" Mabel asked.

"No, my father did," Sabella explained. "My father insisted that he and mother name, me together since they named my brother together. My mother picked my first name, my father picked my middle name and he like the name RaeLynn." 

"It's not a bad name," Malcolm said.

"I think it's a lovely name," Mabel said pushing down a giggle.

"Yeah, right," Sabella said breaking out and laughing at herself.

"Alright, RaeLynn," Malcolm said cringing as Sabella cut him a look with her eyes. "You're going to get use to hearing the name. I wouldn't want anyone to call you RaeLynn, and you not answer. How would that look?"

They were all still laughing when someone knocked on Malcolm's front door.

"I wonder who that is?" Malcolm asked his voice filled with sarcasm as he made his way to the door.

"Wait," Sabella said stopping him. "Let me get it."

"Are you sure?" Malcolm asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure," Sabella said walking over to the door. "Might as well get it out of the way. Are you sure you want to do this? You know it's going to be all over town once Carolyn meets me and people are going to talk."

"I'm sure," Malcolm said. "This won't be the first time I've been the subject of gossip in this town."

The knocking became more urgent. Sabella went over answered the door.

Carolyn expecting Malcolm to answer the door had a look of shock and surprise on her face when a colored woman stood before her instead. 

"May I help you?" Sabella said.

"Yes, I would like to speak to Mr. Matheson please," Carolyn said after regaining the ability to speak once again.

"Whom may I say is calling?" Sabella asked pretending she didn't know who Carolyn was."

"Miss. Winters," Carolyn said.

"Just a moment," Sabella said as she was about to close the door.

"Just a minute," Carolyn said stopping Sabella before she could close the door. "Who are you?" Sabella stamped down the urge to say what she really wanted to say and told Carolyn, who she was.

"My name is RaeLynn," she said.

"And you're staying in Mr. Matheson's house?" Carolyn asked.

"I don't think that's any of your business," Sabella said politely.

"I think you had better watch your tone girl," Carolyn said. "Speaking that way to your betters could get a colored girl in some serious trouble."

Sabella was about to drop some serious curse words on Carolyn when Malcolm joined the conversation.

"I'll handle it from here, RaeLynn," he said. "You can go into the kitchen and start dinner."

Sabella turned and gave Carolyn a look that said next time bitch, then she left Malcolm to deal with Carolyn.

"Did you hear how she spoke to me?" Carolyn asked Malcolm her voice showing her anger and disgust.

"I think she answered you correctly," Malcolm said. "Considering the way you were speaking to her and the questions you were asking."

"I asked her who she was," Carolyn said.

"Which was none of your business," Malcolm said. "You also asked her if she was staying here, which is also none of your business. Then you turned around and threatened her because she didn't like you questioning her."

"I was only wondering what was going on," Carolyn said.

"Why are you here, Carolyn?" Malcolm asked.

"I bumped into Mabel at the grocery store, and I saw that she had hurt herself and I came by to see if you needed my help," Carolyn said her voice beginning to tremble as she began to cry. "I just wanted to see if you were okay."

"I'm fine," Malcolm said as he turned around when Mabel patted him on the shoulder and placed a box of tissues in his hand. "Everything is under control and I don't need any extra help."

As he spoke Malcolm pulled out a couple of tissues and passed them to Carolyn.

"Are you sure you can trust that girl?" Carolyn asked. "She's mighty uppity. Maybe it would be better if you got one of the girls from around her to help you. Since they know how things are done."

"She doesn't like to be called a girl," Malcolm said remembering how Sabella turned on him when he called her "girl."

"What does she expect to be called?" Carolyn asked. "Miss."

"What do you expect to be called Carolyn?" Malcolm asked. "You're a grown woman. How would you feel if someone called you a girl?"

"No one would call me, girl," Carolyn said her tears drying, her voice and look turning hard.

"Why wouldn't they call you girl?" Malcolm asked. "is it because you're old enough to be considered a woman, is it because people respect you, or is it because your father has money and people don't want to insult him?"

"What is wrong with you, Malcolm?" Carolyn asked not liking the fact that he was angry with her about calling RaeLynn(Sabella) a girl. "Are you angry at me for calling RaeLynn(Sabella) a girl? We call all the colored women around here girls. Why would you be upset about it?"

"Because it's wrong," Malcolm said. "The only reason you're calling her a girl is because she's colored. How would like if you never grew up in people's eyes just because of the color of your skin, no matter how old you are, you would always be looked upon as a child? Would you like that Carolyn?"

By the time Malcolm finished what he had to say he was in Carolyn's face and his voice had a hard edge about it and stressed his displeasure at Carolyn and the way she treated Sabella(RaeLynn).

"I'm not responsible for the way people are treated," Carolyn said. "It's not my fault that things are the way they are."

"It is when you're the one doing the wrong," Malcolm said.

"When did you become so concerned about the people are treated?" Carolyn asked.

"You've known me all my life Carolyn," Malcolm said. "When have you ever known me to overlook the way people are treated white or colored?"

Carolyn knew the question was stupid when she asked it. Malcolm had always been known to go to the aid of anyone, he saw being mistreated. It didn't matter to him whether the person was white or colored, He would step in and help. 

She remembered his father beating him severely one day when she and her father were visiting Malcolm and his parents because he addressed his best friend's mother as Miss instead of calling her by her name because she was colored. 

Malcolm asked his father why he was allowed to call his best friend's mother by her name and had to address his white friends' mothers by Miss?

His father told him it was because white people were better than coloreds and deserved to be treated with respect and colored people weren't worthy of being given such respect.

Carolyn remembered how she flinched when Malcolm's father slapped him because he said what his father said didn't make sense and sounded wrong. His father hit him so hard he fell to the floor.

"Don't you ever badmouth anything I tell you," his father said as he stood over Malcolm ready to hit him again if he gave the wrong response. "Do you understand me boy?"

"Yes, sir," Malcolm replied as he wiped blood off his lip with the back of his hand.

"Now get up and give me a hug," his father said.

Malcolm stood and hugged his father then too embarrassed to face their guests he asked to be excused so that he could go to his room.

Yes, Malcolm has always cared about the treatment of others.

But, it wasn't something Carolyn worried about or felt she should be concerned with, because no one mistreated her or disrespected her, she felt it wasn't something she should worry about.





Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 08



"I came over here to see if you needed help," Carolyn said, "not discuss Civil Rights." 

"Do you know that I think that you're a beautiful woman, Carolyn?" Malcolm asked.

"Thank you," Carolyn said a smile gracing her face.

"But your beauty isn't enough to cause me to overlook the way you treat others," Malcolm said. "It's not enough to cause me to overlook the way you demand to be treated by those you consider to be beneath you. Your attitude is one of the reasons you, and I could never be together. Because you think that you have a right to be treated the way you do, and you see nothing wrong with the way you treat people and you're just not pretty enough for me to live with that."

Malcolm said what he had to say, thanked Carolyn for coming over and closed the door in her face.

Carolyn stood at Malcolm's door amazed at what had just happened and not believing it.

Malcolm gets angry with her because of the way she treated a colored woman and when she complains about the way the woman spoke to her, he sides with her.

Then he has the nerve to say she doesn't care about others and calls her SHALLOW! and closes the door in her face.

Carolyn stormed back to her car, snatched the driver's side door opened and plopped down behind the wheel.

She'd show Malcolm how shallow she could be. The only thing on her mind was getting back into town and letting Sheriff Jenkins know what she'd found out.

Malcolm needed a reminder of how things were done in Culbert County.

Carolyn knew that the Sheriff would take the information and use it to cause a whole lot of trouble for Malcolm. 

A smile appeared on her face when she thought about what Malcolm was about to go through and the thought that he would know that she was behind it but there was nothing he could do about it made her smile grow bigger.

She pulled into town and went straight to the Sheriff's office and walked right past his deputies without, waiting for them to let the Sheriff, know she was there to see him.

Sheriff Jenkins was on the phone talking to his Uncle the Mayor when Carolyn barged into his office and pressed the button down on the phone and hung up on his Uncle.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Sheriff Jenkins demanded. "I was talking to my Uncle."

"Your family reunion can wait," Carolyn said sitting down in a chair in front of the Sheriff's desk. "I have some information about Malcolm's guest that you'll find very interesting."

"And what is it?" the Sheriff asked not expecting the information Carolyn had to be of too much value.

"I ran into Mabel at the grocery store," Carolyn said pausing for dramatic effect.

"So?," Sheriff Jenkins said leaning back in his chair.

"She had managed to hurt her hand some kind of way," Carolyn said smiling when she noticed Sheriff Jenkins arch an eyebrow.

"So?" the Sheriff replied again this time sitting up just a little.

"So, I went by Malcolm's to see if I could help him out until Mabel's hand got better," Carolyn said.

"How long did it take him to throw you out this time?" the Sheriff chuckled.

"If that is going to be your attitude, I'm not going to tell you about the colored woman that answered Malcolm's door," Carolyn said getting up and making her way towards the door.

"What colored woman?" Sheriff Jenkins asked getting up and grabbing Carolyn by the arm to keep her from leaving.

"Never mind," Carolyn said shaking the Sheriff's hand off her arm.

"I was only teasing you," Sheriff Jenkins said. "I wasn't trying to insult you."

Carolyn looked at the Sheriff giving him a look, as if she was seriously considering not telling him what she learned. 

He didn't have to worry she would tell him because her desire to cause trouble for Malcolm, was more important, at this point, then withholding information from him.

Carolyn told him everything that happened between her and RaeLynn(Sabella) and her and Malcolm.

"You say this girl is an assistant to the woman whose visiting, Malcolm?" the Sheriff asked.

"Yes," Carolyn said, "but there's something different about her."

"What do you mean?"

"Her accent," Carolyn said. "She sounds like she's from around here but there's something about it that makes her sound more....more...."

"More what?" the Sheriff asked his tone becoming anxious.

"More educated," Carolyn replied. "She sounds like she's been to school. She speaks more high toned, like she's had more than a high school education."

"You don't say," the Sheriff said giving what Carolyn said some thought.

"She dressed differently than the colored girls around here too," Carolyn said as an image of RaeLynn(Sabella), and what she was wearing popped into her mind. "I'm sure her clothes probably cost way more than the woman she works for pays her."

"Did you see Malcolm's other guest?" Sheriff Jenkins asked.

"No," Carolyn replied. "Malcolm wouldn't let me past the front door."

"This situation is becoming very strange," Sheriff Jenkins said. "I'm going to have to question some of Malcolm's ranch hands to see if they've seen this guest of Malcolm's."

"What the hell is going on?!"

Sheriff Jenkins and Carolyn jumped and turned around as a very angry Mayor Jones came storming into the Sheriff's office. 

"Why did you hang up on me?!" the Mayor demanded to know getting up in the Sheriff's face.

"I'm sorry," Sheriff Jenkins said backing away from his very angry, very red faced Uncle, 

"something came up."

"What came up that was so important that it caused you to hang up on me?!" his Uncle asked his tone letting the Sheriff know his answer had better be a good one.

"Well, I....I...I," the Sheriff stammered racking his brain trying to come up with an answer that would satisfy his Uncle because he wouldn't be happy to hear that he was still trying to find out what was going on at Malcolm's home, especially after he told him to leave Malcolm alone.

Mayor Jones turned and looked over at Carolyn. She smiled at him. He didn't smile back. She was about to use her womanly wiles on him to try and calm him down, but the look in his eyes let her know it would be best if she left. Which is what she did.

"I'll be leaving now, Sheriff," she said gathering her things and heading towards the door. "We'll finish discussing what we were talking about later."

Sheriff Jenkins simply nodded his head indicating he understood what she was saying.

"Good to see you Mayor," Carolyn said as she walked out the Sheriff's office closing it behind her.

"I hope Carolyn's being here doesn't mean that you're still poking your nose where it doesn't belong, where Malcolm is concerned," Mayor Jones said.

"Carolyn says that he has a colored woman staying with him," Sheriff Jenkins said smiling thinking that his Uncle would find the information interesting and get on board with his plans to find out what was going on at Malcolm's place.

His smile disappeared when his Uncle's eyes grew angrier and his face turned redder.

"I told you to leave Malcolm alone!" his Uncle said his tone calm but as cold as the North Pole.

"Something is going on up there," Sheriff Jenkins said to his Uncle. "Don't you want to know what it is?"

"NO!" his Uncle screamed spittle spraying all over the Sheriff's face. "I'm going to tell you again to leave Malcolm alone. He's a legacy and messing with him could bring down more trouble on you than you're prepared to handle. Do you understand what I'm telling you, boy?"

Sheriff Jenkins didn't respond he just stared at his Uncle.

"DO. YOU. UNDERSTAND. ME. BOY?!" his Uncle asked his voice louder, harder and more spittle landing on the Sheriff's face.

"Yes, sire," the Sheriff replied.

"That's good," his Uncle said turning to leave the Sheriff's office. He stopped at the door. "Don't you ever hang up on me again, you got that?"

"Yes, sir," Sheriff Jenkins said.

The sheriff collapsed in his chair wondering why his Uncle was so angry and why was he so insistent that he leave Malcolm alone. Sheriff Jenkins didn't know what was going on, but he was determined to find out.

Mayor Jones headed back to his office, he had a phone call that he didn't want to make but could no longer avoid making. 

His stupid nephew was about bring down not only him, but other important people of Culbert County if he kept sticking his nose into Malcolm's business, and he had to let everyone else that his nephew's stupidity could affect, know what was going on.

The stupid idiot was letting the fact that he was related to him go to his head. Causing him to think that he could run around doing as he pleased and nothing would be done about it.

What the fool didn't know was that in this situation being related to him may not be such a good thing. 



Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 09



"That was an excellent meal," Malcolm said joining Sabella on the back porch.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Sabella replied.

"You were kidding about me learning to cook weren't you?" Malcolm asked sitting in one of the rocking chairs on the porch.

Sabella didn't answer him, she just smiled.

"Sabella," Malcolm said.

"It'll be simple," Sabella said smiling at him, "and it won't be tomorrow."

Malcolm relaxed a little.

"This place is so beautiful," Sabella said looking around. "It's hard to believe that in fifty-five years it's going to be divided up into acres with house on almost every acre. It almost makes me want to cry."

"I guess that means at some point I sold this place," Malcolm said.

"I guess so," Sabella agreed sadly. "Almost makes me wish I hadn't seen it as it is now."

The sun was setting creating a beautiful lighting effect off the trees as its rays seemed to dance around them like children at play.

Sabella pulled out her digital camera from off the floor next to the chair she was sitting in, stood up and began taking pictures from every angle of everything around her.

"Can I take your picture?" she asked Malcolm.

"Why would you want to take my picture?" Malcolm asked.

"In case I wake up, and I'm not here," Sabella said. "I'll have some tangible proof that I was here, you were real, and I won't forget you."

"You won't forget me," Malcolm said getting up and walking over to her. "Just like I won't forget you."

"Because of the way I just showed up in your life?" Sabella asked.

"And the way you look with the sun glowing behind you right now," Malcolm replied. "Its like a halo glowing around you, making you look like an angel prepared to bless me with anything I want."

There was something in Malcolm's eyes that sent a shiver through Sabella's body. Mabel's word filled her mind.

"Would you take my picture please?" Sabella asked feeling the need to change the mood between her and Malcolm.

"If you'll show me how," Malcolm replied.

"Sure," Sabella said handing her camera to Malcolm. "It's really easy. All you do is look at the screen in the back and when the image is as you like it, you click this button," Sabella said showing him the shutter button. Malcolm held up the camera and looked at the screen.

"Where do you want me to stand?" Sabella asked.

"You decide," Malcolm replied.

Sabella looked around the yard and decided that the traditional pose of sitting on the corral fence would be perfect.

As she was deciding where she would pose for her picture and walking toward the corral fence 

Malcolm took her picture unbeknownst to Sabella.

"How is this?" she asked after she climbed up onto the fence, crossed her legs and smiled.

"That's great," Malcolm said looking at the screen, at Sabella's smiling face and pressing down the shutter button.

"How about you taking one with me?" Sabella said.

"How do we do that?" Malcolm asked.

"Come here," Sabella said crooking her finger at him.

Malcolm made his way over to her.

Sabella took the camera, held it out at arm's length and put one of her arms around Malcolm's shoulders, her head close to his, adjusted the shutter to where she felt their faces would appear in view finder, said say cheese and pressed the shutter button taking their picture.

"Let's see what we got," Sabella said turning the camera over and pressing the display button. An image of her and Malcolm appeared on the screen.

"That's amazing," Malcolm said looking at the image.

"Let's see the one you took of me," Sabella said. She pressed the display button and an image of her appeared on the screen.

"You take a very good picture," Sabella said looking at the image and clicking on the next one.

"Thank you," Malcolm said looking away from the image at Sabella. "It helps to have a very good subject."

"Thank you," Sabella still looking down at the other images.

Sensing his eyes on her, she looked up at him.

They stared into each other's eyes. That things was in his eyes again and Sabella recognized what it was this time.

He wanted to kiss her. Would he, would she let him?

The questions were answered when Malcolm eased his arms around Sabella's waist. He waited a few seconds to see if she would object to him touching her. He let out a breath when she didn't move away or tell him to stop.

Malcolm pulled her body close to his when Sabella's arms came up and went around his neck letting him know she knew where he was going, and she wanted to go with him.

They looked into each other's eyes and their lips slowly headed towards each other like two magnets being drawn together. When the sound of someone clearing their throat reached their ears ruining the moment.

They both turned to see Frank walking towards them.

"I knocked on the front door," Frank said slipping his hands into his back pocket as Malcolm and Sabella moved away from each other, adjusting their clothing and behaving like two teenagers who had just been caught necking. "When you didn't answer I opened the front door and came through the house."

"I'm going up to my room," Sabella said too, embarrass to be in Frank's presences.

"Maybe you should find her a place among her own people," Frank suggested, when he was sure was far away enough from them, she couldn't hear what he was saying. "It might not be a good idea for her to continue staying here."

"Maybe you should mind your own business and tell me why you're here," Malcolm replied, his frustration at being interrupted coming through in his voice.

"I came by to let you know that the men got everything you wanted done today," Frank said, "and to let you know the stalls are ready for the horses that'll be arriving tomorrow."

"Thank you," Malcolm said, "I expect you to be here when they arrive."

"I'll be here," Frank assured him, "bright and early in the morning."

"Good," Malcolm replied.

"Malcolm," Frank said.

"It's not your business, Frank," Malcolm said his voice tight and tense.

"I'm just a friend offering advice," Frank said. "You and her are against the law. The only way this thing stands a chance is for you and her to leave Texas, and you know there's, no way you'll ever leave Texas, not even for her."

Malcolm thought about how Sabella talked about how in 2009 the ranch had been broken up and turned into a subdivision with a house on almost every acre. He knew in order for that to happen, he must have sold the Double M at some point.

'Maybe that's why I sold it,' Malcolm thought to himself, 'to be with Sabella.'

"Are you listening to me?" Frank asked noticing the far away look on his friend's face.

"I hear you," Malcolm lied coming out of his thoughts.

"But you're not going to take my advice are you?" Frank asked.

"I'm going to ask you not to tell anyone what you saw tonight," Malcolm said to his friend ignoring his, friend's question. "I need to be able to assure Sabella, she's not in danger of being thrown in jail."

"You have my word," Frank said. "This is your home, you and Sabella are grown ups. All I ask is that you both be careful."

"We'll be careful," Malcolm said. "Oh, the Sheriff knows about Sabella."

"What?" Frank said stunned by what he'd just heard.

"Sit down, let me explain the situation to you," Malcolm said.

By the time Malcolm finished Frank was shaking his head.

"Is Mabel alright?" Frank asked.

"She's fine," Malcolm assured Frank. "Sabella stitched and bandaged up her hand."

"Did she go see Dr. Benson?" Frank asked.

"There wasn't any reason for her to see Dr. Benson," Malcolm replied. "Sabella stitched and bandaged her hand up."

"Okay," Frank said, "as long as Mabel was treated."

"She was, Sabella took care of her," Malcolm said talking slow and distinctly as if Frank was having a hard time understanding what he was saying.

"So, if the Sheriff asks about anyone named RaeLynn, he's talking about Sabella," Frank said changing the subject and hoping he was getting things right.

"Yes," Malcolm said. "RaeLynn is Sabella's middle name. She's using it while she's pretending to be her own assistant."

"You're giving me a headache," Frank said rubbing his head.

"I'll simplify it for you," Malcolm said. "If the Sheriff asks you about a colored woman named RaeLynn, he's talking about Sabella. He still thinks Sabella is my white houseguest and RaeLynn is her assistant who's helping out until Mabel's hand gets better."

"So, you're saying I shouldn't let the Sheriff know that RaeLynn and Sabella are the same person," Frank said summarizing the entire situation.

"Yes," Malcolm replied.

"That's all you had to say," Frank told him. "People make things so complicated. I'm going home and I'll see you bright and early in the morning."

"Thank you, Frank," Malcolm said.

"Nothing to thank me for," Frank said as he walked away.

Malcolm went into the house to find Sabella. He found her in the kitchen cleaning up. Not saying anything Malcolm picked up a dishcloth and started drying the dishes and putting them away.

"Frank won't tell anyone about what he saw tonight," Malcolm said after a few minutes.

Hearing his words, a plate Sabella was holding in her hand slipped from her hand into the dishwater. Malcolm went over and put his arms around her to try and calm her down.

"What were we thinking?" Sabella asked leaning against his chest.

"We didn't do anything wrong," Malcolm said tightening his hold on her.

"Maybe not in 2009," Sabella said, "but in 1954 it's wrong and the only reason we didn't do anything wrong is because Frank stopped us. We have to stay away from each other, change our thoughts about this entire situation. We can't do anything that can get us into trouble or bring the Sheriff to your door."

"The Sheriff won't be knocking at our door," Malcolm said, "and I wanted to kiss you. I still want to kiss you, and you wanted to kiss me."

"We can't do that," Sabella said trying to be the voice of reason.

"Yes, we can," Malcolm said, "inside this house, we're not breaking any laws, and I've been dying to kiss you for days."

"You have?" Sabella asked her eyes wide with surprise.

"Yes, I have," Malcolm said tightening his hold on Sabella

"I don't think we should to this, Malcolm," Sabella said knowing that if he tried to kiss her, she would let him.

"You're right, we shouldn't think about it, we should just do it," Malcolm said pulling her closer to him until her breast brushed against his chest. "I want to kiss you Sabella, I want to know how your lips feel on my mine and this is the only way for me to find out."

Sabella held her breath and closed her eyes as Malcolm's lips neared hers.

A shiver moved through her body when his lips lightly touched her lips.

"Open your eyes," Sabella," Malcolm said his warm breath lightly brushing over Sabella's skin creating goosebumps.

Sabella slowly opened her eyes.

"Now watch me kiss you," Malcolm said his voice husky, low and filled with a just a hint of desire.

She watched as his lips neared hers and a second later they were pressed on against hers. Sabella's arms did as they had done outside and found their way around Malcolm's neck.

Malcolm's arms tightened around Sabella holding her so tight that they were meshed against each other, chest to chest, stomach to stomach, groin to vagina.

Sabella gasped when she felt his erection rub against her vagina, Malcolm took the opportunity and slipped his tongue into her mouth deepening the kiss.

Feeling her core beginning to churn Sabella pressed it harder against his hardness causing Malcolm to groan and his hands to glide down her back to her derrière. 

Malcolm gripped her bottom and pressed her harder against him causing their clothing to become an unwelcome and impenetrable barrier, they both wanted to rip away.

"We need to stop," Sabella said pressing her hand against Malcolm's chest ending the kiss.

"I know," Malcolm said still holding her and placing butterfly kisses all over Sabella's face. 

"I don't want to stop, but you're right we should stop."

Malcolm leaned down and took her lips again. Sabella fell into the kiss, got lost in the way it made her feel. She wanted the kiss to continue, so she could continue enjoying the way it made her feel, but she knew she and Malcolm had to talk about them and the consequences of what was about to, or could happen between them.

"Malcolm," she said taking her and pressing it against his chest again, ending the kiss.

"I know," Malcolm said once again placing butterfly kisses all over Sabella's face and neck. "I just can't seem to top kissing you. You taste, smell and feel so good."

"You do too," Sabella said, "but we can't do this, it's useless for us to even go down this road. Nothing can come out of this it can only leave us hurting, wanting and lonesome."

"I understand what you're saying," Malcolm replied. "But, I see nothing wrong with us living in the moment. I can live with memories of what it feels like to kiss you, to hold you in my arms, and what your lips taste like better than I could, wishing that I had taken the opportunity to find out and realizing I let the chance slip by me. What I'm saying is I can stand the knowing, better than I can the not knowing."

"But, you have to live here Malcolm," Sabella said her heart filling with pain at just the thought of what he might have to go through for giving into his desire to be with her. "If people find out about us, their reactions could be very...very...."

"bad," Malcolm said finishing her statement.

"I can't bear the thought of you facing the anger of these people alone," Sabella said.

"I won't turn my back on this because it might anger people," Malcolm said his tone showing his determination. "I won't even walk away from it because it scares you. I want this Sabella for as long as it lasts, and I believe you do too. You're just not willing to give in to it. You're worried about the what ifs, instead of enjoying the right now's."

Sabella couldn't argue with Malcolm on that point because he was right the what ifs is what she was afraid of. 

To her the what ifs were big, they were scary and could be dangerous for her and him. The what ifs could be something neither of them would survive.

"You know in the bible it says that tomorrow isn't promised to us," Malcolm said bringing Sabella out of her thoughts. "I think that means we should live each day as if it were our last. We shouldn't let the what ifs control us on something as important and precious as this moment. In other words, we should be basking in what we feel right now, this moment and nothing else."

"So you're saying if you want to kiss me, and I want to kiss you, we should."

"You got it darlin," Malcolm said a hint of mischief in his eyes.

"Then kiss me cowboy," Sabella said leaning into him.

Malcolm tightened his embrace and slowly brought his lips down to meet Sabella's as she brought her arms up and wrapped them around his neck.

She moaned when Malcolm's tongue eased between her lips and her tongue slid between his as the kiss deepened between them.

As his body began to react to the kiss Malcolm did the gentlemanly thing and tried to keep Sabella unaware of his erection this time.

"You know I am a doctor," she said after the kiss ended. "I do know how the body reacts when it's aroused."

"You do?" Malcolm said blushing because he wasn't used to discussing sex so openly with a woman, especially one he was so interested in getting to know.

"Yes, I do," Sabella replied teasing him, "and it's nothing for you to be bashful about or ashamed of. It just lets me know that you like me a little."

"Woman I like you more than a little," Malcolm said.

The way Malcolm's eyes seemed to glow as he spoke those words sent a shiver down Sabella's spine.

"May I kiss you again?" Malcolm asked.

Sabella answered his question by kissing him. Malcolm rested his forehead against Sabella's forehead, and they stared into each other's eyes both set of eyes asking the same question: What lies ahead for us?

They stayed outside for quite awhile the first night of their relationship finding out things about each other. Like Sabella's favorite color was red and Malcolm's was gold. Sabella liked summertime and Malcolm preferred the fall. They both liked rainy days and the sound of it falling on a tin roof.

Sabella surprised Malcolm when she said she didn't like alcohol at all not even a glass of wine with her dinner.

For Malcolm a glass of wine with dinner was a good way to end the day and an occasional beer wasn't too bad either.

He was glad to learn that Sabella liked horseback riding, and that she was and that she was an avid sports fan but not for her home team, since they had gotten rid of some of her favorite players. 

She turned her back on them years ago and hadn't been interested at all, in how they were doing in their perspective divisions or leagues.

Sabella told him, her parents were dead, but she didn't seem to want to talk about how long they had been dead. She told him she had a really good relationship with them when they were alive, and that she missed them.

She told him about her little attempt at changing the goody-two-shoes image her parents and Mark had of her and her family's reaction to her little attempt.

"You moved in with a man you weren't married to?" he asked his tone showing his disdain for the idea.

"Yes," Sabella said. "That's not a bad thing to do in the future. It's very common."

"Wow," Malcolm replied. "Did you sleep in the separate rooms?"

"No," Sabella said. "We slept in the same room and in the same bed."

"And this was an acceptable thing for a couple to do?"

"Yes." Sabella said.

"Your parents were okay with this," Malcolm asked.

"No," Sabella said becoming upset at Malcolm's attitude. "My father tried to strangle the man I was going to be living with, when I told him. Mark had to hold him back but then Mark tried to strangle him and my father had to pull him off the man"

"I don't blame either your father or your brother for wanting to strangle him," Malcolm said a streak of jealousy shooting through him.

"I managed to keep that from happening by reminding both my father and my brother that it was my decision to move in with Edward," Sabella said. "I also reminded Mark that he was living with Regina and they weren't married at the time."

Sabella watched Malcolm's face for signs of disapproval as she told him about her relationship with Edward.

Malcolm managed to keep his face neutral as he listened to her talk about her relationship with Edward, but he couldn't keep his emotions out of his eyes.

Sabella saw everything from his jealousy to his disapproval.

The only reason she didn't get up and walk away from his was because she understood that they were living in different situations in different times.

"I lived with Edward and I slept in the same bed with him, but I didn't have sex with him," Sabella said.

A look of surprise and disbelief appeared in Malcolm's face and the question of, why appeared in his eyes.

"My father thought that my moving in with Edward was done to shock my family," Sabella said. "He was right. I wanted to show my family that I could be adventurous, surprising and daring, but I didn't love Edward. I put him off for four months by telling him, I wasn't ready to sleep with him, but he eventually realized that I would never be ready to have sex with him, so he ended our relationship."

"Were you hurt when he ended it?" Malcolm asked noticing the sadness in Sabella's eyes as she spoke.

"No," Sabella said. "I was glad when he ended it and ashamed of myself for using him the way I did all that time. I wasted four months of his life holding up a temptation, he had no hopes of getting because I wasn't woman, enough to tell him."




Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 09



"I can't believe your father allowed you to live with a man you weren't married to," Malcolm said still amazed at the notion.

"Whether or not I moved in with Edward or not wasn't my father's decision to make," Sabella said trying to keep a hold on her temper. "My father accepted my decision the same way he accepted my decision to move out on my own, because I'm a grown woman, capable of making my own decisions and totally responsible for the consequences of those decisions. In my time, I don't need to seek my parents' approval for anything I want to do. Especially when I'm supporting myself."

"But didn't you want your parents' approval?" Malcolm asked.

"In this instance no," Sabella replied, "since the whole point was to shock everyone."

"Why?"

"Growing up my parents, friends, relatives, everyone saw me as the good child," Sabella said her voice a little tense, "the little angel."

"Isn't that the way all parents see their little girl?" Malcolm asked.

"Yes," Sabella said. "I was the symbol of what every parent wanted their daughter to be. I carried this title all through my school years. I was so good at it that my parents' friends wanted their daughters to hand out with me, be around me hoping that some of my goodness would rub off on their daughters. The week decided to shock my parents I had just found out what they had done. I found out that the rest of the kids found out what the other parents were doing, and they thought it was so funny that I became known as Sabella Jamison the headmistress of Sabella's School of Goody-two Shoes. I was so angry with my parents when I found what was going on that I decided I should do something to show everyone that I could be bad. Edward had been after me for weeks to move in with him, so when he asked me again that week to move in with him, I said yes. But, I didn't say yes because I wanted to be with him. I said it with images of the looks on my family's and friends' faces when I told them, or they found out what I was about to do."

"And how did you feel when you got the reaction you wanted?" Malcolm asked.

"It wasn't what I expected," Sabella said, "and I found myself living with a man, I cared nothing about, causing both of us to waste four months of our lives neither of us will ever get back. I also caused my parents a lot of pain and worry, but I wasn't sorry for doing it. I was so angry with my parents for not protecting me, I didn't care about the pain, I caused them."

"Not, protecting you?"

"Yes, I could've developed some of the other girls bad habits."

"You are kidding," Malcolm said as he started laughing.

"It's not funny," Sabella said hitting Malcolm on the shoulder and pushing him away from her.

"You make it sound as if the girls could've infected you with their bad habits," Malcolm said.

"I'm saying they might've swayed me to go in a different direction," Sabella said.

"I don't think anyone could have swayed you into doing anything," Malcolm said arching an eyebrow at her. "Am I right."

"No," Sabella said.

The tone in which she answered Malcolm's question told Malcolm, Sabella didn't want to talk about her parents' deaths, so he didn't ask how they died or how long they had been dead.

They both were trying to think of something else to talk about when Sabella's cell phone rung. It was Mark and he wanted to talk to Malcolm, Sabella passed the phone to Malcolm.

"Hello," Malcolm said after putting the phone up to his ear.

Sabella watched Malcolm's face as he spoke with her brother. She was trying to figure out what they were talking about by pretending not to listen to Malcolm's end of the conversation, but the only thing Malcolm was saying was yeah, okay, or what in response to whatever Mark was saying to him.

A worried, concerned look appeared on Malcolm's face then a smile.

"I'll handle it tomorrow," Malcolm said. "Sure. Your brother wants to talk to you," he said passing the phone back to Sabella.

"What's going on?" Sabella asked Malcolm taking the phone from him.

"Just, something I need to take care of," Malcolm said heading towards the house.

"What's going on?" Sabella asked her brother.

"Nothing you need to be concerned about," Mark replied. "I discovered something I thought Malcolm should know about."

"What is it?" Sabella asked her tone demanding an answer.

"It's nothing for you to worry about," Mark stressed again.

"It is something for me to worry about," Sabella said. "I'm like a fish out of water, swimming with sharks, in my current situation."

"Would I play with your safety?" Mark asked his tone letting Sabella know that he was offended that she would think such a thing.

"No," Sabella replied her answer immediate and without having to think about it. "I know you would tell me if it was something I needed to know."

"So, it's safe for you to assume that if I don't tell you that..."

"it's something I could get by without knowing," Sabella said.

"Thank you," Mark said his voice showing just a hint of sarcasm. "I wanted to say good night, and I love you before I hung up."

"Good night and I love you too," Sabella said.

"And, Sabella," Mark said.

"Yes."

"It won't do you any good to go searching online," Malcolm said, "because what I found out, I found in the library."

"Damn," Sabella said.

"Good night, sister dear," Mark sing-song as he hung up the phone.

Sabella hung up the phone and went to join Malcolm inside the house. She found him on the telephone telling someone he would be in their office tomorrow and for them to have all his paperwork ready for him to take with him. 

The person must've asked what was wrong because Malcolm said he would discuss it when they met tomorrow then he ended the phone call.

After he hung up the phone Malcolm turned and leaned against the table where the phone sat, folded his arms across his chest and looked down at the floor.

Feeling Sabella's eyes on him, he looked up at her.

"That was my attorney, Daniel Parker," Malcolm said answering the unasked question he knew she wanted to ask.

"Sounds like you're going to fire him," Sabella remarked.

"I am," Malcolm said. "I have to."

Sabella could tell, by the way, Malcolm was biting on his lips, there was more he wanted to say but his eyes seemed to beg her not to question him further.

"I'm going to bed," Sabella said heading to the stairs.

"Wait," Malcolm said.

"What?" Sabella asked as he got closer to her.

"I want to give you a proper good night," Malcolm said putting his arms around her waist.

Sabella smiled as she put her arms around his waist, "And what do you consider a proper good night?" she asked.

"This," Malcolm replied as she pulled her into his arms and kissed her gently on the lips at first, then deepening the kiss when she parted her lips welcoming his tongue inside.

"That was a proper goodnight," Sabella said after the kiss ended.

"Good night," Malcolm said giving her another kiss on the lips.

After Sabella was upstairs and he heard the door to her room open and close Malcolm went back over to his phone and dialed Mabel's number.

"Hello," Mabel said answering the phone.

"Hello, Mabel," Malcolm said. "I know it's late but I need to ask you a favor."

"And what would the, favor be?" Mabel asked.

"I need to go into town tomorrow, and I was wondering if you would come over and keep Sabella company?"

"You're worried about the Sheriff coming over while you're gone aren't you?" Mabel asked.

"Yes," Malcolm replied. "I wouldn't feel right leaving her alone even with Frank and the other ranch hands being here."

"I'll be there," Mabel said wondering how Malcolm expected her to stop the Sheriff if he came over. Especially since the man was determined to get into the Malcolm's house.

"Thank you," Malcolm said, "and I'm going to get you some help to keep the Sheriff in line."

"Thank you," Mabel said breathing a sigh of relief.

After talking to Mabel, Malcolm hung up the phone and dialed another number.

"Hello," said the gruff voice that answered the phone.

"Hello," Malcolm said imagining the look on the face of the other man upon hearing his voice on the other end of the phone.

"What do you want?" Mayor Jones said not hiding his hatred of Malcolm and the power he had over him.

"Now, Mayor Jones why do you sound as if you dislike me when I've done nothing for you to dislike me for, yet?" Malcolm asked.

"What do you want?" Mayor Jones asked again his voice gruffer than it was when he first answered the phone.

"I want your assurance that you're going to keep your nephew in line," Malcolm said his voice holding no hint of the teasing it had before. "I need to know that he will keep his nose out my business and his ass off my property, because if you can't I can see to having it done myself but, if I have to do it, I'm not going to only handle your nephew, I'm going to handle you and some of your friends also."

"I'm tired of you threatening me," Mayor Jones said. "What would you say if I said I didn't care what you did with the information you have?"

"Why don't you say it?" Malcolm dared him. "Go ahead Jonsey tell me you don't care what I do with the information I have." Silence.

"Tell me, you, coward!" Malcolm almost screamed. "Tell me you're not afraid of what I would do and what would happen to you afterwards if I let others know about the information I have."

"You won't have to worry about my nephew," Mayor Jones said. "I promise you, he won't interfere in your business nor will he stop on your property. I give you my word."

"Thank you," Malcolm said, "that's all I wanted to hear."

Mayor Jones hung up the phone without saying goodbye.

"Who was that," a voice asked from behind him.

"Malcolm," Mayor Jones replied. "He was calling to make sure, I keep that stupid nephew of mine away from his house and out of his business."

"Why are you getting angry with Malcolm?" the voice asked. "He has had the information to put us all away for years, and he hasn't even attempted to threaten us with it. Not until the Sheriff, your nephew became obsessed with some woman staying on Malcolm's ranch."

"Yeah," said another voice. "It seems that all the trouble is being caused by your sister's boy and Ed's daughter."

"Carolyn is in this mess because she expects Malcolm to ask her to marry her," Ed said standing up for his daughter.

"Malcolm has shown no romantic interest in Carolyn," a new voice said joining the conversation, "so how can she expect to marry him?"

"I think you and the Mayor need to find a way to control your relatives," the first voice said. "If you don't you're going to force us to find a way to do it."

"Nobody threatens my daughter," Ed said getting into the face of the man who spoke.

"I won't let your daughter destroy everything I've worked for because she has the hots for a man who obviously doesn't want her," the man said. "Now if you're willing to give up your freedom for your daughter that is up to you, but you had better do it in a way that doesn't involve me or threatens my family."

The man's tone of voice was cold and deadly letting Ed know that the man was serious and he would do whatever it took to keep himself out of jail.

"Fighting among ourselves isn't going to solve this problem," Mayor Jones said stepping between Ed and the man. "I think we should all come together and keep an eye on my nephew and Ed's daughter and make sure, they leave Malcolm alone." Everyone in the group except Ed nodded their head in agreement.

"I'll handle my daughter," Ed said his tone letting everyone else in the room know that Carolyn was off limits.

"You better hope she listens to you," one member of the group said, "because if she doesn't we'll have to handle her ourselves."

"Anyone in this room touches my daughter is going to have to go through me," Ed said.

"Going through you won't be a problem, Ed," one of the other men said, "and will be done if you don't control your daughter."

Ed left the room without saying another word. He had to get to Carolyn and talk to her.

The next morning Malcolm rose early, bathe, got dressed, had breakfast and was ready to stop out of the door about eight that morning.

Sabella stayed in the kitchen not expecting him to let Mabel know what was happening between them. So, she was surprised when he came into the kitchen, took her by the hand, pulled her out of the kitchen into the living room. Malcolm took the keys to his garage off his key chain and placed them in Sabella's hand.

"I took steps to make sure the Sheriff doesn't come around while I'm gone," Malcolm said, "but if he does I want you to go into the garage, get into your baby and drive like hell away from here. Follow these instructions" he said putting a piece paper into her hand, "and you'll find your way to Mabel's house stay there. If I come home and something's wrong I'll go over there and find you."

"You don't think the Sheriff is going to be a problem do you?" Sabella asked.

"I don't expect him to be," Malcolm said, "but I don't know what he'll do if he sees me in town, or he finds out, I'm not here. I just want you to have a way out if the need should arrive. Promise me you'll stay in the house until I get back."

"Alright," Sabella said.

"I should be back her by noon," Malcolm said. "We'll have lunch."

"Alright," Sabella said.

"Let Mabel answer the doors and the phone," Malcolm said looking into her amber eyes and getting closer so that he could kiss her goodbye.

"Alright," Sabella said looking into his blue eyes.

Malcolm leaned down and kissed her on the lips. Sabella kissed him back.

"I'm going to miss you," Sabella said. "Promise me, you'll be careful."

"I'll be back before you know it," Malcolm said heading towards the door, "and I promise I'll be careful."

Malcolm opened the front door and stepped onto his front porch, surprised to find Carolyn's father sitting in one of the rocking chairs.

"I'm going to assume you're here to keep the Sheriff away," Malcolm said.

"And Carolyn," Ed replied.

"Thank you," Malcolm said.

"Don't thank me," Ed said, not when you know I have no choice."

"You've only got yourself to blame for that," Malcolm said heading towards his truck.

"Arrogant bastard," Ed muttered under his breath as he watched Malcolm back out of the driveway and head to town. 

Malcolm reached town and headed directly over to his attorney Daniel Parker's office.

He felt eyes on him as he exited his care. He looked up and saw some of the locals with their heads together and their eyes on him.

'So word has gotten out about my visitor,' Malcolm thought to himself.

"Hello, Malcolm.'

Malcolm turned to see Dr. Benson heading in his direction.

"Hello, Dr. Benson," Malcolm said

"I went over to Mabel's when I heard about her hand," Dr. Benson said. "I was amazed at the professional job your friend did on her hand. The sutures she used, I've never seen before and the stitches, she used to close the wound were also new to me."

"Hmmmm," Malcolm said.

"I would like to meet your friend if it's possible," Dr. Benson said his eyes almost pleading and brimming with excitement at the possibility of meeting Sabella.

"I'm afraid that won't be possible," Malcolm said, "she came down here to relax, and she's not in the mood to see people."

"Is she a doctor?" Dr. Benson asked.

"No," Malcolm replied, "she's a doctor's assistant."

"Well," Dr. Benson said astonished at what he'd just heard, "if she's seeking employment, please send her to see me."

"I'll let her know," Malcolm said. "Although I don't think she's looking for work. I don't mean to be rude Doc," Malcolm said moving around him, "but I've got business to attend to."

"I'm sorry," Dr. Benson said. "I didn't mean to hold you up."

"It's good to see you," Malcolm said heading to his attorney's office.

Daniel Parker greeted him, his hand extended ready to shake Malcolm's hand.

"Hello," Daniel said greeting his best client.

"Hi, Daniel," Malcolm said looking pass Daniel Sr., to his son Daniel Jr. who came into the room behind his father.

"I have all your paperwork and files put together as you requested," Daniel Sr. said. "I'm sorry to lose you as a client. I wish you could tell what's happened to make you want to end your relationship with us."

"Nothing has changed between us, Daniel," Malcolm said his eyes still trained on Daniel Jr. "I just think it's time for a change."

"If you'll tell us who your new attorney is going to be we can send everything to him", D.J. said trying to shake the uneasiness, he felt under Malcolm's scrutiny.

"I haven't made up my mind who my new attorney is going to be," Malcolm lied, "but I've found someone to temporarily handle my legal affairs. I'm going to talk to him today so I want to take my papers and my files with me."

"Could you please tell me what happened?" Daniel Sr. asked almost pleading with Malcolm. "You're my best client Malcolm if you just up and leave me, people are going to talk."

"I suggest you talk to your son," Malcolm said his eyes still trained on D.J.

"What does D.J. have to do with his?" Daniel asked.

"He's been abusing my power of attorney," Malcolm said.

"What do you mean?" Daniel asked. "Tell, him D.J." Malcolm said.

"I don't see what you're so upset about," D.J. said. "I've made you more money than you started out with."

"That's not the point," Malcolm said grateful he'd gotten D.J. to confess. "My power of attorney was meant to be used on my approval, or if I wasn't able to speak for myself, not behind my back."

"I told you, I would handle all of Malcolm's business affairs," Daniel Sr. said to his son.

"I just wanted to show you that I could do," D.J. said. "I wanted to show you that I could make things better even for your best client."

"But, you broke the law to prove it," Daniel said, "you broke a client's trust, and you may have ruined the reputation of a law practice that I spent over thirty years of my life building. Just to prove your point."

"I'm sorry, I have to do this Daniel," Malcolm said, "but I can't do business with someone I can't trust to follow my instructions."

"I understand," Daniel said, "and I'm sorry it had to come to this."

Malcolm took the box containing his files and headed for the door leading out of the law offices of Parker & Parker Attorneys of Law.

"I'll refund your retainer," Daniel Sr. said as Malcolm was about to close the door.

"You don't have to do that," Malcolm said. "You earned that retainer and more."

"No," Daniel Sr. said. "I can't keep it my conscience wouldn't allow me to, so I'm going to refund it to you."

"As you wish," Malcolm said as he left their office.

Daniel Sr. turned to his son and slowly walked towards him. D.J. stilled himself for the words and questions he knew his father was going to throw his way and ask. 

The elder Parker surprised the younger Parker when he didn't question him or throw angry words at him, but drew his hand back and slapped the younger Parker across the face.

D.J. stunned by what his father did, it took the younger Parker a minute or two to react but his reaction wasn't what his father expected. D.J. drew back his hand and slapped his father across the face.

"Don't you ever put your hands on me again old man," D.J. told his father.

Daniel Sr. drew his hand back, balled it into a fist, brought if forward smashing D.J. in the face. D.J. looked at his father as blood streamed from his nose.

"I want you to pack your things," his father said, "and you're not to take one scrap of paper, one paper clip, one staple from this office. You're going to leave here, the same way you came in with nothing. Then I want you to go home and remove anything that you think will remind me of you, and I want you gone, out of my house before I close the office for the day and come home."




Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 09



"What will I tell mother when she asks why I'm leaving?" D.J. asked.

"Tell her the truth," his father replied. "Tell her you betrayed a client's trust."

D.J. headed towards the door, he took one last look at his father before walking out and closing it.

People stared at him as he made his way to his car, he didn't pay them any attention. The only thing on his mind was figuring out how Malcolm found out about what he was doing.

As Malcolm made his way down the street to what he hoped would be his new attorney's office, he once again tried to ignore the stares and whispers of his neighbors. 

He kept his head up and his eyes straight ahead. But, if he'd looked across the street, he would've seen the Sheriff's car parked in front of the drug store.

Sheriff Jenkins couldn't believe his eyes, Malcolm was in town and since Mabel was at home recuperating from her injured hand that meant that Malcolm's guest was at home alone.

As soon as Malcolm stepped through the doors of Luther Simpson's law office the Sheriff made his way to his car and headed to Malcolm's home.

"Where're you going?"

Sheriff Jenkins turned to see his Uncle leaning against the passenger side door of his police car.

"I've got something I need to take care of," Sheriff Jenkins said anxious to be on his way and wondering how he missed someone as big as his Uncle standing out on the streets.

"Well, I need you to take me somewhere," his Uncle said opening the passenger door and getting into the car.

"I'm taking care of some official business right now," Sheriff Jenkins said hoping his Uncle would fall for the lie, and he could head over to Malcolm's.

"So, am I", his Uncle said closing the passenger door and locking it. "So, whatever you were going to do will have to wait."

"Where're we going?" the Sheriff asked.

"I'll give you directions," Mayor Jones said. "Just keep heading out of town until I tell you to stop."

Sheriff Jenkins smiled thinking he was heading towards Malcolm's place. He backed the car out of its parking spot in front of the drug store and pointed it in the direction that would take them towards Malcolm's s, when his Uncle tapped him on his shoulder.

"We're going in the opposite direction," his Uncle said.

"But, you said we were going out of town," Sheriff Jenkins said whining like a little child.

"We are," his Uncle said, "but I have some other stops to make before leaving town."

"How about I get one of my deputies to drive you around," the Sheriff said wondering why he hadn't thought of the idea before.

"No," his Uncle said shooting down the idea. "I think it would be better for both of us if you drove me."

"Why?" the Sheriff asked.

"It would allow us to spend time together," Mayor Jones said, "and driving, me around will keep you out of trouble."

The sound of cars honking their horns reminded Sheriff Jenkins that his car was blocking traffic.

"We had better, get a move on nephew," Mayor Jones said. "Just because you're the Sheriff doesn't mean you can block traffic."

Sheriff Jenkins put his car in gear heading in the directions his Uncle wanted to go knowing that he had been foiled once again in his attempt to find out who the woman was staying in Malcolm's home. 



Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 10



Having completed his business, Malcolm rushed towards home anxious to make sure Sabella and Mabel were alright.

He was close to home when he came upon a white man standing outside a what he assumed was a disabled car because the hood was up. Malcolm pulled over to the side of the road and went over to see if he could help the man.

As Malcolm approached the man, the man's expression changed to one of distrust, as he looked at Malcolm.

"I want to help," Malcolm said holding his hands up in surrender to try and ease the man's fears.

The man appeared to be trying to decide if he could trust Malcolm when a blood curdling scream was heard from inside the car.

The man turned away from Malcolm and ran over to the back passenger side of the car, Malcolm was right behind him.

Malcolm was surprised when he looked into the car to see a very pregnant black woman, sweating profusely and in a great deal of pain in the back seat.

"It hurts Bobby," the woman said as another labor pain hit her.

"I know Janie," Bobby said taking hold of the woman's hand. "I'm trying to find help."

"I can take her to a doctor," Malcolm said immediately thinking of Sabella. "Help me, get her to my truck."

The man looked at Malcolm suspiciously.

"I promise you, I'll get her to a doctor, who'll help her and take care of her and the baby," Malcolm said. "We can take her to my house right down the road."

"I stopped at that house," Bobby said, "there was a man sitting outside on the porch who wouldn't help us nor let me use the phone, and he wouldn't let the women who were there with him help me either.

"I own that house," Malcolm said, "you're going back with me and I promise you that you'll find help there."

"Bobby!" Janie screamed from the back seat.

"Alright!" Bobby said, "let's go."

Malcolm and Bobby helped Janie out of the backseat of the car and into the passenger side of Malcolm's truck. Malcolm closed the door and ran to the driver's side and climbed in while Bobby climbed into the back of the truck. Then they took off down the road to Malcolm's house.

As he pulled into his driveway Malcolm blew his horn. Mabel and Sabella came charging out of the house.

"How is she doing?" Sabella asked recognizing the man jumping out of the back of the truck as she ran over to the passenger side of the truck to help Janie out.

"She seems to be having a pain very three minutes," Malcolm said as he exited his truck and went over to the passenger side to help get Janie inside his house.

"What're they doing back here?" Ed asked his voice booming as if he owned the house.

"You get your ass off my property, now," Malcolm said turning to face Ed. "How can you turn these people away when it's obvious they need help?"

"It wasn't my job to help them," Ed said his voice cold and uncaring.

"Why didn't you let Mabel and RaeLynn (Sabella) help?" Malcolm asked.

"I did what your father would've done if he were here," Ed said. "He wouldn't have let that girl soil his house with her blood nor the blood of the pick-a-ninny she's about to give birth to.

"My father is dead," Malcolm said, "and he has never lived in this house."

"I'm talking about the man I remember," Ed said. Malcolm was about to hit Ed when Sabella (RaeLynn) stopped him.

"We can't deal with him now," she whispered into Malcolm's ear, "we need to get her into the house and him gone, so I can tend to this woman."

Realizing that Sabella was right Malcolm once again ordered Ed off his property.

"I'll leave," Ed said, "but I want you to know that you'll get no more favors from me. I don't care what you can do to me. I won't be under the thumb any longer. Do you understand?"

"Completely," Malcolm said. "I just want you to remember this was your decision."

Ed left the chaos and made his way to his car. He got inside, started it up and made his way home.

"What do you need?" Malcolm asked realizing Ed was gone, as Sabella passed him the keys to his garage.

"Bring everything you can reach," Sabella said not having time to write a list or give Malcolm a detailed description of the things she might need.

"I've got water boiling," Mabel said rushing back into the living room to help Sabella.

"I need clean white sheets," Sabella said, "and one of them torn into strips."

"Who are you?" Bobby asked Sabella.

"I'm the doctor," Sabella replied, "and, the one who's going to bring this child into the world."

"What's going on?" Frank asked walking into the room with a bandage on his head.

"Malcolm might need your help in the garage," Sabella said, "bringing in some of the medical supplies I might need."

"Alright," Frank said heading to the garage.

"Help, me ease her down onto the couch," Sabella told Bobby.

They eased Janie down onto the couch.

"Bobby!" she screamed as another labor pain shot through her body this one more intense than the last.

Malcolm and Frank came rushing back into the living room their arms filled with medical supplies.

"What do you need?" Malcolm asked.

"Rubber gloves," Sabella replied.

Malcolm opened up a box of rubber gloves and passed a pair over to Sabella.

"Frank, I think that Ed might tell the Sheriff about this," Malcolm said. "I need you to go stand on the front porch and let me know if the Sheriff shows up."

"Alright," Frank said leaving the living room and going to do as Malcolm asked.

Mabel came rushing from upstairs her arms loaded down with white sheets. Sabella pulled one from the top and covered Janie with it.

As Sabella removed Janie's underwear so that she could position her legs so that she could examine her a gush of water sprayed out almost hitting Sabella in the face.

This proved to be too much for Bobby, and he made his way to the front door. Malcolm was about to follow him when Sabella screamed that Janie was crowning and the baby would be coming soon.

"I'm going to need something to put the baby in, Malcolm," Sabella said. "A drawer from one of the bureaus upstairs would be perfect."

"Alright," Malcolm said as he ran upstairs to his bedroom pulled out one of the drawers from his bureau, dumped the contents onto the floor and ran back down the stairs to the living room.

As he entered the living room Malcolm was amazed to hear the sound of a baby crying.

He walked around to the front of the couch and saw Sabella holding the small screaming child in her arms.

"Mabel, place a sheet in the bureau drawer, please," Sabella said after she placed the child on Janie's stomach to cut its umbilical cord. 

"It's a girl," Sabella said checking the baby over.

"Oh, my god!" Janie screamed, "what's happening?" Sabella examined Janie to see what was wrong.

"Go, back upstairs and get another bureau drawer, Malcolm," Sabella ordered.

"You're kidding," Malcolm said.

"No, I'm not," Sabella replied. "There's another baby in here."

Malcolm ran upstairs once again to his bedroom and pulled out another bureau drawer, dumped the contents on the floor and dashed down the stairs again into the living room. 

He heard the second baby crying this time when he entered the living room as Sabella eased it from its mother's womb and brought it into the world.

"It's a boy," Sabella said as she cut the umbilical cord.

Mabel wrapped the screaming little boy up in a sheet and gently laid him in the bureau drawer Malcolm brought down from upstairs.

"Are they alright?" Janie asked.

"They're fine," Sabella replied.

"Where's my husband?" Janie asked.

"He's on the front porch," Malcolm said wondering why the man hadn't rushed back into the house upon hearing his children cry. "I'll go get him."

Malcolm rushed out to the front porch expecting to find Bobby out there either smoking like a chimney, pacing back and forth liked a caged animal or a combination of the two, but Bobby wasn't there. The front porch was empty. He went around the back thinking that Bobby might've walked around there, but it too was empty.

He went back around the front and saw Frank coming back up the driveway.

"Where have you been?" Malcolm asked.

"I went after the man that came in with the woman," Frank replied. "He came out of the house and kept going. I asked him where he was going and the only thing he said was "he couldn't take it", then he took off running."

"Where's Bobby?" Sabella asked Malcolm stepping out onto the front porch. "Janie's asking for him, and he has a son and a daughter who are anxious to meet him too."

"He's gone," Malcolm said.

"To get his car?" Sabella asked her voice hopeful but her heart knowing there was none.

"I'll get my truck and go down the road to check," Malcolm said his voice solemn, but I think he's really gone."

"Oh, my goodness," Sabella said. "What do I tell Janie?"

"I suggest telling her the truth," Malcolm said. "If I'm wrong it'll be a happy mistake."

Malcolm got into his truck and headed down the road where Bobby's car had broken down.

Sabella went into the house to tell Janie she couldn't find Bobby.

"Where's Bobby?" Janie asked the moment Sabella walked into the house, she was holding their son and daughter in her arms.

"He's not outside," Sabella replied. "Malcolm went to see if he's gone to see if he could fix your car."

"He's gone isn't he?" Janie said after staring into space for a few seconds.

"I don't know," Sabella said answering truthfully.

"Take them," Janie said her teeth clenched together and looking down at her babies.

"Excuse me?" Sabella said thinking she'd misheard what Janie said.

"Take them," Janie said again still looking at her children.

Mabel and Sabella moved to take the children out of Janie's arms.

After the children were removed Janie tried to stand.

"What're you doing?" Sabella asked placing the baby, she was holding in the sheet lined bureau drawer. "You shouldn't be trying to stand. You need to rest and give your body time to recuperate. You gave birth to twins."

"I need to find Bobby," Janie said her eyes filling with tears. "He promised that he and I would raise our child together. That way why we got married so that we could be a real family and always be together. Bobby wouldn't leave, he wouldn't break his promise to me. He promised me we would always be a family, so I've got to find him."

"Malcolm went to find him," Sabella said pressing a hand on Janie's shoulders to get her to lay back down on the couch. "I'm sure he only went to check on the car and when Malcolm returns Bobby will be with him."

"He's gone," Janie said wiping her eyes and sobbing like someone had told her a loved one had died. "He's gone."

"Ah, honey," Mabel said walking over to comfort her, "it's going to be alright."

Janie cried herself to sleep while Mabel and Sabella took the children into the kitchen and cleaned up the living room, as well as they could with Janie asleep on the couch.

"What're we going to do?" Mabel asked when they returned to the kitchen where the children were. 

"They need milk and Janie won't let them nurse from her."

"I'll be right back," Sabella said leaving the kitchen and heading for the garage and her baby praying that Malcolm hadn't locked it.

Sabella was grateful when she pulled on the door of the garage that it opened. Sabella made her way to the back seat of her baby where she stored the baby formula, she was supposed to deliver to her friend's clinic. 

She grabbed a case of the small prepackaged bottles of baby formulas, a new package of nipples for the bottles, and a package of new born disposable diapers.

Sabella loaded everything up in her arms and made her way back into the house. As she passed the couch, she went over to check on Janie and saw that she was still asleep. Then she made her way back into the kitchen.

"What in the world is all of this?" Mabel asked when Sabella came back into the kitchen.

"Just a few modern conveniences for mothers in the twenty first century," Sabella said placing her load on the counter.

Mabel picked up one of the small bottles of formula after Sabella broke opened one corner and examined it.

"Well, I'll be," she said her voice filled with awe. "I guess mother's don't nurse anymore."

"Oh, yes they do," Sabella said. "Nursing is still the number one way children are feed. This is used in instances like this and for mothers who choose not to nurse."

"And this?" Mabel asked holding up a disposable diaper.

"That's what some mother's use instead of regular diapers," Sabella said, "to keep their babies' bottoms dry."

"Well, I'll be," Mabel said examining the disposable diaper. "This is amazing."

At that moment Malcolm walked into the kitchen, the look on his face told Sabella and Mabel all they needed to know. Bobby was gone.

"You saw no sign of him?" Sabella asked.

"I think he must've caught a ride," Malcolm said. "I rode into town when I didn't see him on the road, and I didn't see him at the car and I didn't see him in town."

"What're we going to tell Janie?" Sabella asked.

"What did you tell her?" Malcolm asked.

"I told her you had gone looking for him," Sabella replied.

"I'll just tell her, I couldn't find him", Malcolm said.

"I'm surprised, she didn't ask you about Bobby when you walked into the house," Sabella said.

"She probably didn't hear me come in since she's upstairs," Malcolm said.

"Janie's not upstairs," Sabella said. "We left her asleep on the couch."

"She wasn't on the couch when I came in," Malcolm said.

"She has to be in the living room," Sabella said rushing through the dining room, into the living room and stopping at the empty couch where Janie was supposed to be resting. "Maybe she's upstairs," Sabella said making her way upstairs to check.

Malcolm's bedroom was the first room she came to and the door was opened so Sabella went inside searching for Janie. The bedroom was empty, so Sabella went to check the bathroom, it was empty too.

She left Malcolm's room and made her way to her room. The two missing pairs of sweat pants shorts that she wore to bed at night and left out on the bed to be washed later that day and the overnight bag, she kept next to her bed let Sabella know that Janie had been in her room.

"What's wrong?" Malcolm asked when he walked into her room and saw Sabella staring at her bed.

"She's taken some of my clothes and one of my overnight bags," Sabella said going over to the closet to make sure the case containing her laptop was still there and glad she kept her cell phone in the pockets of her jeans.

"I wonder where she went?" Malcolm said, "I didn't see her on the road when I was on my way back here."

"I think they both suspected and expected you to come after them," Sabella said, "and they went in the opposite direction to give themselves time to get away."

Malcolm didn't think about that when he left to chase after Bobby, he just assumed Bobby would return to his car going in the opposite direction would've been a smart move. 

Especially since he knew what was in that direction and since Janie knew, Bobby, she might have figured that was something he would've done, and she did the same thing.

"I'm going to go look for her," Malcolm said.

"I'm going with you", Sabella said.

The look in her eyes told Malcolm it would do him no good arguing with her.

"Okay", Malcolm said heading downstairs, out the front door, to his truck.

'Sabella was right,' Malcolm thought to himself drove down the road and came upon Janie stumbling down the road looking for Bobby.

"Janie," Malcolm said slowing down his truck beside her, "you need to come back to the house with us.

"I can't," Janie said not looking at Malcolm or Sabella as she spoke. "I have to find Bobby. He promised we would always be together."

"Bobby is gone Janie," Sabella said. "You have to think about your children, your son and your daughter."

"No," Janie said finally stopping and facing Malcolm and Sabella. "It's their fault, he's gone. H would still be with me if they weren't here."

"You don't mean that," Sabella said not believing what she was hearing.

"Yes, I do," Janie said her voice cold and emotionless. "They and the people who refused to help us because of me robbed my Bobby of his manhood. Do you know that we went to four different hospitals before we came here? Four different hospitals, and at all of them Bobby went inside and said that his wife was in labor out in the car, they all rushed out with a stretcher ready to take me inside, but the moment, they saw me, they sent us away saying they didn't treat Negroes or niggers."

"I'm sorry that you and Bobby had to go through that," Malcolm said, "but you can't hold your children responsible for the way you were treated."

"Bobby pleaded with them to help me," Janie said continuing as if Malcolm hadn't spoken, "but they all refused. One nurse threatened to call the police on him if he and his nigger wife didn't get off hospital property. Do you know how that made him feel?" 

Malcolm and Sabella didn't respond.

"He felt useless and helpless," Janie said tears running down her face and looking at Malcolm, "he felt useless and helpless. Do you know what that does to a man?" Especially a man whose use to being able to take care of everything."

"I can't say that I do," Malcolm replied.

"Of course you don't," Janie said chuckling. "This is the land of milk and honey for you . You wouldn't make the mistake of falling for someone like me. Did Bobby tell you that we're not from here?"

"No," Malcolm replied.

"Well, we're not," Janie said. "We were on our way home when I went into labor. We didn't even intend to stop in Texas because of all the horrible things, we heard about the way Negroes were treated. But, we were almost out of gas, and we decided to stop, to fill our tank. Do you know that three different gas stations wouldn't even sell us gas? Three different gas stations wouldn't sell us gas because of me."

"None of this is your fault, Janie," Sabella said. "You're not responsible for the ignorant acts of others."

"Somebody is responsible!" Janie screamed. Somebody is responsible for my husband leaving me, for me not being able to look at or hold my children. Somebody is responsible for the breakup of my family and for robbing me of my happily ever after."

Malcolm's heart filled with sympathy for Janie as tears continued to run down her face from her breaking heart and overwhelming pain.

Malcolm jumped out his truck and picked her up in his arms when she collapsed on the ground.

Sabella got out of the passenger side, ran around the front to assist Malcolm with getting Janie into the truck. She wrapped her up in a sheet she brought with her.

"You drive," Malcolm said holding his keys out to her as he cradled Janie in his arms.

Sabella took the keys and went around the passenger side of the truck to help Malcolm get Janie in the car. After making sure Malcolm and Janie were securely in the passenger seat, Sabella went around the truck to the driver's side, climbed inside, buckled up, started the car up and headed back to Malcolm's house.

When they reached the house Sabella got out, went over to the passenger side to help Malcolm bring Janie into the house.

They were met at the door by Mabel.

"How is she doing?" Mabel asked holding the door open for them.

"She's weak," Sabella replied going over and placing a clean sheet on the couch before Malcolm's placed Janie on it once again.

"We have company," Mabel said as Malcolm placed Janie on the couch.

"Who?" Malcolm asked.

"Me."

They all turned to see Sheriff Jenkins standing in the doorway of the dining room.

"What're you doing here?" Malcolm asked not all happy to see the Sheriff in his house.

"I got a report of a white man and a colored woman running from hospital to hospital trying to find a place to drop a baby," Sheriff Jenkins said eyeing Janie. "So, I went looking for them to take them to the hospital where all the coloreds go to have their children. I was coming to ask you if they stopped by here when I ran into Ed, and he told me they were here with you. I saw their car on the side of the road after I talked to Ed so, I came by to see if you needed any help getting these people on their way."




Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 10



"We don't need any help from you," Malcolm said, "so you can leave."

"That girl seems to need a doctor," Sheriff Jenkins pointed out talking about Janie.

"She'll be fine," Malcolm said. "I was about to call Dr. Benson."

"Where's the load she dropped?" Sheriff Jenkins asked.

"I had the baby before we could find help," Janie said her tears still falling, "and it died."

Sabella moved to comfort the crying woman.

"Uh-uh," the Sheriff said. "Where's the man that was with her?"

"My husband went to bury our child," Janie said leaning her head against Sabella's chest, "and he hasn't returned."

"If he's smart and he's come to his senses, he'll keep walking," the Sheriff remarked.

"Get out!" Malcolm told the sheriff, "get out of my house right now!"

"No, need to get hostile," Sheriff Jenkins said. "I was just stating my opinion."

"Get out," Malcolm ordered again.

"Don't you go anywhere girl," the Sheriff said to Janie. "After you've been seen by Doc Benson, I'm going to arrest you for improper disposal of a corpse."

"Don't you think she's been through enough?" Malcolm asked. "She's lost her, husband and her child, and she wasn't with her husband, when he went to bury their child. We just picked her up down the road. She was trying to go with him, but she was too weak to keep up."

"It doesn't matter what she's been through," Jenkins said. "We have to teach these niggers, they have to obey the law like everyone else and the only way they seem to learn that is by locking them up when they break the law."

"She hasn't broken any laws," Malcolm said.

"I'll be the one to decide if she's broken any laws," Sheriff Jenkins said. "Who is this?" the Sheriff asked looking at Sabella and moving towards her.

"That is none of your business," Malcolm said stepping in front of him, blocking his path.

"I think it is my business," the Sheriff said, "the girl is covered with blood."

"She just helped me bring a woman whose just had a baby, whose bleeding heavily, into the house," Malcolm said, "of course she's covered with blood."

"Are you related to this girl?" Sheriff Jenkins asked Sabella.

"She's not involved in this," Malcolm said, "and she's not answering any questions. Go upstairs RaeLynn."

It took everything within Sabella to fight the urge to not to turn around and curse the Sheriff out, but she fought it and kept going upstairs.

"She's a looker," Sheriff Jenkins said watching as Sabella went, upstairs as he licked his lips.

"Get out," Malcolm ordered him again this time his voice, letting the Sheriff, know that he wanted him gone.

"I'll be back tomorrow to talk to her," the Sheriff said. "I expect her to be here and ready to go to jail."

"Only if Dr. Benson says she can be moved," Malcolm said going over and holding the front door open for the Sheriff.

"Of course he's going to say she can be moved," Sheriff Jenkins said, "they're not like white women. They drop a kid and are ready for the next on in no time flat. That's what most white men like about them, they're not delicate like white women. They don't need to lay in the bed for weeks to recuperate. They're ready for their man right away. How do you think they have so many kids so fast?"

Malcolm was glad the Sheriff kept talking as he spilled his vile words, so that by the time he finished, he was on the other side of the threshold allowing Malcolm to slam the door shut as he moved out the door.

"Call, Dr. Benson," Malcolm told Mabel as he went upstairs to talk to Sabella.

He found her in his room where the twins were asleep in the bureau drawers that were their temporary beds.

Malcolm walked into the room and just for a moment, he watched her as she looked down at the twins.

"They're so innocent, so beautiful," Sabella said sensing him standing in the doorway a tear rolling down her cheek. "The whole world should be open to them, and yet they're already doomed they're just too young to know it. It makes you wonder why God even allows children to be born during this time."

"Because it's the only way to bring about the change needed to make the world livable for everyone," Malcolm said walking over to her. "Every new life or generation brings about a change in our lives, makes the world better."

"These two babies have lost the most important thing to any child," Sabella said, "their parents."

"Their mother is still here," Malcolm said.

"Janie isn't going to stay," Sabella said. "Didn't you hear what she said? She said she couldn't stand to look at them nor could she stand to hold them."

"She didn't mean that," Malcolm said. "She only said that because she was upset over Bobby leaving her alone to raise them. Janie will come around and become the mother they need."

"She won't be their mother," Sabella said sadly. "I saw the hopelessness, she was feeling in her eyes as she told us the reasons she and Bobby got married. Janie won't be able to raise these babies on her own. What happened to her and Bobby forced them to face the hard realities of their type of marriage, to face the realities of the situation and the children just increased the hopelessness one hundredfold and shined a light on their weaknesses neither of them could ignore."

"Maybe having the children will make Janie stronger," Malcolm said.

"They might," Sabella said her voice not very hopeful.

"Did seeing the way Bobby and Janie were treated frighten you as far as you, and I are concerned?" Malcolm asked.

"I can't ignore it," Sabella replied. "Neither of us can."

"No, we can't," Malcolm said, "but we shouldn't decide whether or not we have a relationship by it either. I'm not Bobby and you're not Janie. Just like we shouldn't judge people because of the color of their skin, we shouldn't judge how things will go between us by what happened to them. It's only a possibility Sabella, something that might or could happen, not something that has happened."

"I know that Malcolm and I agree with you that it's only a possibility. It's one that I would have to face whether we're together or not because of the color of my skin, but it's not something that you would ever have to face. You would face that kind of treatment only because of me being in your life, and I don't know if I could handle knowing that you're hurting or being hurt because of me."

"Any hurt or pain inflicted on me because of my relationship with you by other people isn't your fault," Malcolm said. "You're not responsible for the actions of others."

"This would be perfect if it turned out that either you, or I was dreaming," Sabella said leaning against Malcolm's chest.

Malcolm moved his hand from her shoulders to around her waist.

He understood why she thought their situation would be perfect if it was a dream. 

All the bad things that happened, wouldn't be real, but the Yang effect of that would be that she wouldn't be there, the kiss they shared wouldn't have happened and the feeling he was experiencing and enjoying right now as her body leaned against his wouldn't be real. 

'No, he thought to himself as he tightened his hold on her. 'This being a dream wouldn't be perfect because for me, it would be a nightmare.'

Sheriff Jenkins drove his car to the end of Malcolm's driveway to await Dr. Benson's arrival, he wanted to be there with the doctor in case he found another opportunity to get inside Malcolm's house or to get his hands on RaeLynn (Sabella).

She tried to hide her anger when he called her girl, but he saw it in her eyes, she wanted to rip him a new one. He found that kind of fight in a woman to be a turn on. He like taming that kind of woman, showing her, he was the one in control. 

Sheriff Jenkins knew that she would be a real challenge something he would really enjoy.

Thinking about RaeLynn (Sabella) had Jenkins licking his lips again. She was a real beauty, like no woman he had ever seen. He closed his eyes and let images of the dark beauty fill his mind. He imagined her standing before him nude his hands moving slowly over her smooth brown skin. 

As he enjoyed the images in his mind Jenkins' left hand slid slowly down to his pants. His hand was about to cover his erection when his Uncle's voice burst into his ear bringing him out of his lustful thoughts.

"You better have a good reason for being here," his Uncle said.

"I have a legal reason to be here," Sheriff Jenkins said righting himself and sitting up straight.

"Spill it," Mayor Jones demanded.

Sheriff Jenkins was tempted not to tell his Uncle anything but he changed his mind when he saw the "don't mess with me" look on his Uncle's face.

He told his Uncle everything that Malcolm and Janie told him about what happened.

"The woman is in Malcolm's house right now," the Sheriff said expecting his Uncle to join in his excitement at the prospect of getting into Malcolm's house again.

"Dr. Benson just showed up," his Uncle said, "so you can go home."

"The doc is in there?" Sheriff Jenkins said.

"He arrived during the moment you had your eyes closed and was about to pet your Johnson," Mayor Jones said his voice showing the disgust at what he caught his nephew doing.

"I can't leave until the doctor's through examining the girl," Sheriff Jenkins said. "I'm taking her to jail for improper disposal of a corpse."

"From what you told me the woman's husband is the one that's gone to bury the baby," Mayor Jones said. "The girl has nothing to do with what her husband's done, so you don't have a reason to arrest her."

"But....she...."

"She what?" Mayor Jones asked.

"Who called you to come over here, Malcolm?" Sheriff Jenkins asked suddenly wondering how his Uncle knew something was going on.

"No, Malcolm didn't call me," his Uncle replied. "I decided you needed to be watched."

"You, had someone watching me?!" Sheriff Jenkins asked his tone insulted and incredulous that his Uncle would do such a thing. "Why would you do that?"

"Because you don't seem to understand English, and you don't seem to be capable of following orders," Mayor Jones said.

"Why are you helping Malcolm?" Sheriff Jenkins asked. "You and I run this town and that should include running him too."

"No," his Uncle said his tone tight and tense, "we don't run this town, I run it, and as long as you do what I tell you to, I allow you to run with me. Do you understand?"

"Why are you protecting Malcolm from me?"

"Because, you're going to far," Mayor Jones said. "Malcolm is a wealthy, white man, and you're going out of your way to cause trouble for him for no good reason and that is something I can't allow you to do."

"There's something going on in that house," Sheriff Jenkins said, "and it has been going on ever since that woman arrived in town."

"What do you think is going on in that house, Carl?" Mayor Jones asked. "For some stupid reason you've set your sights on meeting Malcolm's guest. A woman who has made it clear she wants nothing to do with you or any of the citizens of Culbert County, which is her right. But, for some reason, you've turned this woman into some kind of criminal with something to hide, and you've got the people in my town worked up, and I can't have you doing that, relative or not. This is your last warning Carl," Mayor Jones told his nephew his tone having a deadly tone to it, "if you don't back off and leave Malcolm alone, you going to find yourself in more trouble than you can handle."

When Mayor Jones arrived home, he found three men standing on his front porch waiting for him. The looks on their faces told him that all three were angry and whatever, they wanted to talk to him about wasn't something he was going to be happy discussing. 

"Good evening," Mayor Jones said greeting the three men as he stepped upon his porch.

"Whether the evening is good or not depends or whether or not you could talk some sense into your nephew," one of the men said.

"I tried to," Mayor Jones replied, "but I can't guarantee that he's going to listen to me and leave Malcolm alone."

"What're you going to do about him?" one of the other men asked.

"I'm going to deal with him," Mayor Jones replied.

"This will be the last time we leave this matter in your hands," the third man said. "If the Sheriff doesn't listen to you or if what you have planned doesn't work we will deal with him ourselves."

Mayor Jones nodded his head signaling that he understood and agreed with what the men were saying. He just hoped his nephew listened to him and left Malcolm alone. If he didn't Mayor Jones wouldn't feel bad when his friends did what they had to do because Carl would have on one to blame but himself.



Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 11



The next morning Sabella was awakened by the cries of her two charges.

"Hey, guys," Sabella said getting out of bed and slipping on her robe, "give a girl a break. I'm new at this."

The babies didn't listen they continued crying.

"Okay, okay," Sabella said picking up the little girl out of the drawer, "I guess you either want to be changed or feed."

Sabella checked the little girl's diaper and found that she needed to be changed.

"You need to be changed little lady," Sabella said going over and getting two disposable diapers. 

"After I change you, I'll feed you and your brother, then I'll give the two of your baths."

The baby girl stopped crying after her wet diaper was removed. Sabella was taking off the baby boy's diaper when someone knocked on her door.

She opened the door and saw Malcolm standing on the other side dressed and ready for the day.

"Sounds like you need some help," he said.

"You are so right," Sabella said stepping back and letting him into the room. "I told them I'm new at this, but they're not being kind to me this morning."

"Hey, fellows," Malcolm said walking over to the two makeshift cribs where the babies lay, "be nice to the nice lady."

"Could you use an extra pair of hands?" Mabel asked walking into the room rolling up her sleeves.

"Yes!" Sabella said glad to see Malcolm's housekeeper. "I was about to take them downstairs and give them a bath."

"I'm glad I came early so I could help," Mabel said. "I found some clothes that my children wore when they were newborns, and I also found some blankets. I washed everything last night in Ivory Snow® and brought them with me."

"Mabel, you are a godsend," Sabella said going over and giving her a hug. "I was wondering what I was going to do about clothes for these two."

"It's just enough to start them out in," Mabel said returning Sabella's hug.

"Was Janie awake when you passed through the living room?" Malcolm asked.

"She wasn't downstairs," Mabel said. "I didn't see her on the couch. I thought she might be in the kitchen, so I went in there, and she wasn't there either. So, I thought she might be up here with her children."

Sabella and Malcolm looked at each other, both realizing that Janie was gone.

"Maybe she went for a walk," Malcolm said refusing to believe that a mother would or could leave her children.

"Maybe you're right," Sabella said the tone voice saying she didn't believe what she was saying.

The room grew silent everyone lost in their thoughts about what they all knew had happened.

Sabella's mind went back to the conversation that she and Malcolm had last night with Janie when they tried to once again get her to look at her children, and she once again refused.

"I can't do it," Janie said. "I can't do it."

"They're your children," Malcolm said.

"They are not my children," Janie said her teeth clenched together. "They're not my children because I can't be a mother to them, not without Bobby."

"Don't you have family that can help you?" Sabella asked.

"This isn't about my family nor Bobby's family," Janie said still refusing to look at her children her eyes becoming wet. "This is about a decision that I've made. I can't be their mother or be around them. They would be constant reminder of lies told to me by a man I love very much and who I thought loved me, and I can't live with that. I refuse to live with that."

Malcolm was about to say something to Janie when Sabella touched him on the shoulder and told him to leave it alone.

They took the children back upstairs up to Malcolm's room where the twins makeshift beds were.

"What're we going to do?" Malcolm asked placing the little boy into the bureau drawer.

"They'll sleep in my room tonight," Sabella said.

"And after tonight?" Malcolm asked.

"I don't have an answer about tomorrow," Sabella said. "What happens tomorrow is up to Janie and whether or not she changes her mind about how she feels about her children. Now help me carry them into my room."

"You don't have to take both of them," Malcolm said, "I can take the little boy."

Sabella turned and gave him a look that said 'yeah right.'

"Help me take them into my room," Sabella replied.

Malcolm picked up the drawer with the little boy in it, Sabella picked up the drawer with the little girl in it and they went to Sabella's room.

Malcolm suggested that Sabella sleep in the other guest bedroom because it had twin beds, telling her that she could be sleep in one bed and the drawers that the twins were sleeping in could be placed on the other.

Deciding she liked the idea Sabella did as Malcolm suggested.

They went to the other guest bedroom. The room was smaller than the room she was in before, there was only enough room for the twin beds and a dresser.

"I guess I should go to my room so you can get some sleep before they wake up," Malcolm said as he placed the drawer with the baby boy in on the bed furthest from the door beside one with the baby girl in it, then walked over to Sabella.

"I guess so," Sabella said the tone of her voice letting Malcolm know that the events of the evening had left her drained.

"Can I get a kiss?" Malcolm asked.

Sabella leaned forward and kissed him on the lips.

As he kissed her Malcolm put his hands into the pockets of his jeans to keep himself from putting his arms around her and getting her dirty again after she'd the shower, she'd taken before Mabel went home.

"You owe me a hug in the morning," he told her.

"I'll be sure to give it to you," Sabella said her tone teasing, "if I don't forget."

"I'll remind you," Malcolm said turning to head back to his room.

The sound of the baby she was holding crying again brought Sabella out of her thoughts

"We better get them their breakfast before they wake up the whole county," Mabel said teasing.

"You're right," Sabella said.

They all headed downstairs to give the twins their breakfast and to get breakfast for themselves.

When they reached the living room everyone made their way over to the couch to see if they could find anything that would tell them whether or not Janie was really gone.

They didn't have to look very long. There was a folded piece of paper on the coffee table with Raylynn written across the back.

Sabella picked up the note as she sat down on the couch. Malcolm sat next to her and took the little girl from her arms as she opened the folded piece of paper.

Sabella opened the note and read it;

"I know I'm taking the cowards way out, but I just can't be their mother not by myself. I'm counting on you to make sure they have a good life. It's the best I can do for them.

Janie"

Sabella passed the note to Malcolm taking the baby girl back into her arms.

"I wonder when she left?" Sabella asked holding the little girl closer to her chest.

"Probably as soon as she thought we were asleep," Malcolm said as he read the note his voice thick with anger.

"How can she leave these two precious angels?" Mabel asked looking at Sabella as if she expected her to provide an answer.

Sabella wasn't born in the fifties and the prejudice, she had experienced in the twenty-first century wasn't as blatant as it was here but the sting it delivered wasn't lessened. In fact, it was stronger and hurt more because when it happened it was unexpected, like a surprise attack. 

Because in the twenty-first century you didn't know who the racists were. They no longer donned their white sheets as they did in the fifties. The government knew who they were, but very few regular citizens knew who the dangerous people were. 

But, the other side of that coin was that African-Americans could fight back now both legally and illegally making them just as dangerous as they who would try to hurt them.

Sabella couldn't imagine dealing with the fanatics of the fifties and being unable to defend herself or protect her family. She understood what Janie was facing.

Even with the protection of new laws of the twenty-first century she could still walk in Janie's shoes.

"We don't know her situation," Sabella said. "I know this is going to sound crazy to say, but leaving the twins might just be the bravest thing she could do. It might be the best thing, she could do for her children and for herself."

"How can you say that?" Mabel asked the tone of her words showing she was shocked at what Sabella said.

"Keeping a child isn't always a good thing Mabel," Sabella said. "A mother can grow to resent a child, causing her to hold the child responsible for the bad things that happen in her life and her response to that might be to mistreat, abuse or beat the child. Even thinking that her life might be better if the child wasn't in it and kill it."

Mabel gasped unable to even fathom a situation like Sabella described even happening.

"Mabel, believe me, there is a child in Culbert County being abused right now," Sabella said. "You and the other citizens of this town wouldn't know about it because the tradition is that what goes on in your, neighbors' houses isn't your business and shouldn't be interfered with. You, might even see a child with welts and bruises on its body from getting what you might call a "being taken out to the wood shed old fashioned whipping" and because of the way you think or what your use to, you don't think of it as abuse. You might not even think to question what the child could've done to be beaten so badly, but, in the twenty-first century a parent would have to explain those welts and bruises. A parent wouldn't be allowed to do that to a child for any reason. They would have to find a better way of dealing with their child or risk having the child taken away from them. Yes, Janie's reason for leaving the twins might be selfish, but we don't know that and, even if it is she has made her decision. The thing that should be most important now is, what is the best thing for the twins?"

"What're you going to do?" Mabel asked.

The question caused Sabella to flinch because she had no idea what she was going to do.

A woman who she knew nothing about had made her responsible for her two newborn babies.

"I don't know what I'm going to do," Sabella said as she tried to push down the anger and panic she felt rising inside of her at being put in a position she didn't expect to ever face. "I've never been in a position like this before."

"We could call the Sheriff," Mabel said.

Mabel's words sent a shiver down Sabella's spine. The mere thought of turning the babies over to Jenkins made her flesh crawl.

"No!," she said immediately, tightening her hold in the baby she was holding. "I won't let him anywhere near them. The man is the worst thing that could happen to the twins."

"Okay," Malcolm said going over and sitting on the couch next to Sabella, taking her hand to clam her down, "we won't call the Sheriff. The twins will stay here until you decide what you want to do."

"I'm sorry," Sabella said turning to Mabel, "I didn't mean to yell at you."

"No, harm done," Mabel said joining Sabella and Malcolm on the couch still holding the little girl. "I understand. I don't know what came over me even suggesting turning the children over to Jenkins."

"What happens to colored children who don't have parents to take care of them?" Sabella asked.

"Tillie, who lives on the edge of town usually takes care of orphaned colored children," Malcolm replied. "But, Tillie is getting up in age, and I don't think she would be able to take care of two babies."

"You don't have to make a decision about the twins today," Malcolm said when he saw the worried look that appeared on Sabella's face.

Sabella nodded her head signaling that she heard and agreed with him.

"I'm going to prepare breakfast," Mabel said placing the baby, she was holding back in its makeshift bassinet.

"I'm not hungry," Sabella said.

"You've got to eat something if you're going to take care of these babies," Mabel said. "I bet you haven't eaten anything since the day before yesterday. Have you?"

"No," Sabella replied.

"Well, you're going to eat something this morning," Mabel said, "and I don't want any arguments about it."

"Yes, ma'am," Sabella said chuckling.

"Don't mess with me," Mabel said as she made her way to the kitchen. "How is she gonna take care of those babies if she don't eat?"

"She is something else," Sabella said still smiling as she watched Mabel walk towards the kitchen.

"As she said don't mess with her," Malcolm said. 

"Mabel's bite is definitely worse than her bark."

Sabella looked down at the baby girl in her arms and saw that she was asleep. She stood, went over and put her in her makeshift bassinet.

Malcolm watched her as she looked down at the little girl and fussed with the sheet making sure the baby was covered. He hated the worried look on her face and wished there was something he could do to take it away.

Sabella's breath caught when Malcolm walked up behind her and put his arms around her waist and eased her body back against his.

"It's going to be okay," Malcolm said his lips against her neck.

"I know," Sabella said letting her body rest against his, bringing her hand up and gently stroking his face.

"I'm going to grab a cup of coffee, then go do my chores," Malcolm said turning his face towards her palm and gently kissing it.

"I'll stay inside and tend to the youngins," Sabella said.

Malcolm gave her a peck on the lips and made his way towards the kitchen.

With Mabel's assistance Sabella fed and bathed the twins, after their baths they went back to sleep.

Sabella decided to take the time while they were sleeping to chat with her brother. Hoping that either her brother or sister Regina would be available to chat, she turned her computer on. 

As it powered up Sabella thought about what she was about to tell her brother.

'He probably won't believe me,' she thought to herself.

Who would believe that a woman gave birth to twins, her husband left her, and she left the twins, and she asked and trusted a total stranger to do, what was best for them?

'No,' Sabella told herself, 'nobody would believe that.'

It happened to her and she still didn't believe it so why should anyone else?

The moment her computer finished powering up and logged on to the Internet, Sabella heard the Yahoo yodel and her IM box opened up.

She smiled when her brother's message appeared.

GaMark: good morning.

Sabella: good morning. How r u, Regina and lil S?

GaMark: fine. How r u?

Sabella: fine.

GaMark" y chat instead of phone?

Sabella: chatting quieter. Don't want to risk waking up babies.

Mark sat in front of his computer staring and rereading the IM message his sister typed.

"What's wrong babe?" Regina asked after she didn't hear the telltale sound of Mark typing on the keyboard for a few seconds.

Mark didn't answer her, he just continued staring at the monitor's screen.

Regina went over to find out what her sister said that had left her husband so stunned and speechless.

"Why are you so tripped out by this message?" she asked after reading the message. "It probably means that Malcolm's housekeeper either has children or is babysitting."

Mark didn't move or respond.

Regina reached over Mark and began typing.

GaMark: Regina here. What babies?

Mark and Regina read Sabella's IM messages and Regina joined Mark in his stunned and speechless state as she read about what happened to Bobby and Janie. Bobby leaving, Janie rejecting her children, then leaving herself, leaving behind a note asking Sabella to take care of them.

"Well, damn," Regina replied after reading what had happened to Sabella and Malcolm over the last twenty-four hours.

She turned and looked at her husband who hadn't spoken but was still staring at the computer screen.

"Mark?"

Mark turned and looked at Regina.

"Does this have anything to do with the things you've been doing and the strange things that have been happening around here?" she asked nervously.

"Yes," Mark replied nodding.

"After we chat with Sabella, you're going to tell me what you found out at the library," Regina said her voice letting Mark know she wouldn't be denied. "Move," she demanded.

Mark stood and moved out of the chair away from the computer.

Regina took his place and she started typing on the keyboard.

GaMark: What're you going to do?

Sabella: don't know. Haven't really thought about it. Still overwhelmed.

GaMark: thought about turning them over to the county?

Sabella: Yes, but don't think I'll be able to do that.

GaMark: Why?

Sabella: Malcolm said all AA children are taken to a elderly AA woman that lives on the edge of town. Taking care of twins would be too much for her.

GaMark: Try to find AA couple to take care of them, maybe adopt them.

Sabella: considering that. Just haven't decided yet. Want to make sure twins are taken care of properly. Scared I'll make wrong choice. Twins suffer.

GaMark: Take time. Answer will come to you.

Sabella: I hope so.

GaMark: What are babies names.

Sabella: They don't have names.

GaMark: U r kidding.

Sabella: No, I'm not. Mother wouldn't even look at them, never named them.

GaMark: R u going to name them.

Sabella: Don't know. Think I should. Can't keep calling them baby boy or baby girl.

GaMark: Give them names. If you decide to give them up their new parents can always change their name. They're here they should have names.

Sabella: U r right. What should I name them?

GaMark: Don't know, can't think of any names. Give it some time though you'll think of just the right names for them.

Sabella wanted to tell Regina about her and Malcolm, but afraid her brother might be near and not knowing how he would react, she decided that she would tell Regina when she called her later that day.

Sabella: I met the Sheriff.

"What?" Regina said out loud.

"What is it?" Mark asked rushing over to the computer.

"Sabella met the Sheriff," Regina said.

"When?" Mark asked.

"When?" Regina typed.

Sabella: Last night.

GaMark: What happened?

Sabella: Nothing. Malcolm kept him away from me.

GaMark: Did he question Malcolm about you?

Sabella: The Sheriff and everyone except for Mabel and Frank (Malcolm's ranch hand) thinks that my name is RaeLynn and that I'm an assistant to a friend of Malcolm's whose visiting him for awhile.

GaMark:?

Sabella: I'll explain later.

GaMark: Now.

Sabella: Can't now babies waking up have to go.

GaMark: We r going to talk about this.

Sabella: I know. Later.

GaMark: Love u.

Sabella: Night.

GaMark: Goodnight.

"We're going to talk," Regina said turning to her husband.

"Alright," Mark said taking Regina by the hand and leading her into the living room. "What do you want to know?" Mark asked deciding that answering some of his wife's questions would be the way to go.

"I want to know what you found out at the library," Regina said.

Mark told her most of what he found out.

Malcolm returned to the house just as Mabel was preparing to leave for the day.

"Dinner is on the stove," she told Malcolm as she picked up her keys and purse off the kitchen counter.

"Thank you, Mabel," Malcolm said. "I'll eat after I clean up.

"And you're not to go near the babies until you clean up either," Mabel said.

"Yes, ma'am," Malcolm said smiling at her and giving her a military salute.

"I'll be on my way," Mabel said. "Tell Sabella, I'll be here early tomorrow morning to help with the babies."

"Thank you for all your help, Mabel," Malcolm said. "And for not telling anyone about Sabella or the twins."

"I'm glad to do it," Mabel said. "Besides knowing something that nobody else knows makes me feel special."

"You are special," Malcolm said walking towards her, his arms stretched out preparing to give Mabel a hug.




Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 11



"You stay right where you are," Mabel said holding her hands out to keep Malcolm away from her as she made her way to the front door.

"I'm sorry," Malcolm said following Mabel so that he could lock and secure the door. "I forgot."

After locking the front door he made his way upstairs straight to the bathroom in his bedroom to take a shower. He didn't want to go around Sabella and the twins with all the dirt from working on the ranch on his body.

After his shower Malcolm went into the small guestroom where he found Sabella sitting on the bed cradling one twin, while the other lay on the bed beside her, staring at her as she told them a story, that sounded like sleeping beauty, but she had put her own little twist on it.

"The Princess opened her eyes and there before her stood the handsomest man she had ever seen in her life. The Prince said, "You are the most beautiful women, I've ever seen. Will you marry me? The smile that was on the Princess' face disappeared. 

"You want to marry me because you think I'm beautiful?" she asked. "Yes," the Prince replied. "No," the Princess told the Prince, "I will not marry you."

"Why not?" the Prince asked. "Do you not find me to be handsome?"

"I find you to be very handsome," the Princess replied, "but that isn't a reason for me to marry you." The Prince couldn't believe what he was hearing, the Princess didn't want to marry him.

"Why won't you marry me?" the Prince asked. 

"I know nothing about you," the Princess said, "and I've been asleep for a hundred years and I'm only sixteen (okay she's actually a hundred and sixteen but we're not going to argue over semantics). I want to see what's going on in the world and date other before I settle down. A girl has to checkout all her options before she settles down."

The Prince hung his head and left the room. The moral of this story is; Don't marry a man because he wakes you with a kiss and a man should have more to offer a woman than his good looks. The end," Sabella said. "How did you two like the story?"

Both babies looked her like she was the strangest thing they'd ever seen. Which was probably true since they haven't seen that many people since they were born.

"I've never heard Sleeping Beauty told that way before," Malcolm remarked walking into the room.

"It's the version my mother told me when I was little," Sabella said, "and after reading the original version when I got older, I decided her version made more sense. So, it was the one I would tell the children I sue to baby-sit whenever they wanted to hear a story before going to bed."

"I think I like your mother's version too," Malcolm said sitting down on the bed. "Have had supper yet?"

"Not yet," Sabella replied. "Mabel and I just finished feeding and bathing the babies, half an hour ago."

"You ready to eat?"

"I could go for something to eat."

"Well, let's go downstairs and eat the nice meal, Mabel prepared for us," Malcolm said picking up the baby boy lying beside Sabella.

"Alright," Sabella said getting up and placing the baby girl back in the drawer.

Malcolm put the baby boy in the other drawer.

Sabella looked down at the drawers the babies were lying in, her heart going out to them because there was nothing she could do for them. 

They had been through so much. Deserted by both their parents, born in a time where they're sure to be rejected by both races that created them, and now they were being denied a proper bed to sleep in.

Sabella thought to herself that if they were in 2009 she would be able to buy them everything they needed, bassinets, clothes, food, formula, toys everything and anything they could ever need. But, here in 1954 her credit cards were useless and she had no other means.

She knew that Malcolm could and probably would buy the bassinets for the twins to sleep in if she asked, but, she didn't know how he would feel or react to her asking him to do such a thing.

At that moment, she remembered something. She rushed down the hall to the bedroom, she used to sleep in across from Malcolm.

"Where're you going?" Malcolm asked knowing that she wasn't going downstairs, by the way, she moved.

Sabella didn't answer him, she opened the door to her old bedroom and rushed in. She placed the drawer with the baby in on the bed, went over to where her purse sat beside the bed, picked it up, opened it and pulled out her wallet. 

Sabella opened her wallet and pulled out five, one hundred dollar bills, six, fifty dollar bills and ten, twenty dollar bills all crisp brand new bills.

Her face lit up with the biggest smile Malcolm had ever seen on her face.

"What're you doing?" he asked his mouth falling open when he saw all the money Sabella was holding in her hands.

"I want to buy bassinets for the twins," Sabella said taking the five, one hundred dollar bills and holding them out to Malcolm. "You can also get them clothes, shoes and whatever else they might need."

"Where did you get this money?" Malcolm asked reaching out and taking the money from Sabella.

"I worked for it," Sabella replied.

Malcolm looked down at the money. Something was different about it to him.

He reached into his back pocket pulled out his wallet, opened it and took out a hundred dollar bill. He took one of the bills Sabella gave him and placed it above the bill he held in his hand and his eye went back and forth between the bills noting the differences.

What's wrong?" Sabella asked not understanding what he was doing.

"Where did you get this bill?" Malcolm asked.

"From the bank", Sabella replied wondering once again why Malcolm kept questioning her about the money.

"This money isn't real," Malcolm said his eyes still moving back and forth between the bills.

"What do you mean it isn't real?" Sabella asked becoming upset with Malcolm.

She walked over to him and looked down at the bills he held in his hands.

"Of course it's real," she said, "The money came...from...the...bank."

As she looked down at the bills and saw the differences between the two bills and she realized why Malcolm thought the bill she gave him was counterfeit and she realized that her twenty-first century money was also no good in 1954.

"The money isn't counterfeit," she said plopping down on the bed beside Malcolm as a feeling of complete helplessness washed over her.

"Of course it is," Malcolm said. "Can't you see the differences in these bills?"

"It's not fake," Sabella said. "The government made changes in our money to make the bills harder to counterfeit."

"What kind of changes?" Malcolm asked.

"I'll tell you later," Sabella said not in the mood to discuss the changes right now. "Let's go downstairs and eat dinner."

Sabella, Malcolm and the twins headed downstairs.

"Oh, my god!" Sabella said as she made her way down the stairs and looked around the living room.

"Surprise," Malcolm said coming to stand behind her on the stairs.

"When did you do this?" Sabella asked. "How did you do it?"

"Frank and I went shopping over in the next county," Malcolm said. "The saleslady helping us made sure we got two of everything the twins needed."

Tears rolled down Sabella's cheeks as she walked further into the living room, it looked like a baby store.

Malcolm had bought two bassinets, two high chairs, two play pens, new born baby gowns, diapers, rubber pants, rattles, pacifiers, everything that a child could need including toys.

"Thank you," Sabella said realizing how insufficient her words sounded compared to what Malcolm had done for the twins.

"You're welcome," Malcolm said. "Now lets put the twins in their new beds.

Sabella put the baby girl in the pink lined bassinet and Malcolm put the little boy in the blue lined bassinet.

"They look so peaceful," Sabella said looking down at them tears still falling from her eyes.

"Are those happy tears," Malcolm asked.

"Extremely happy tears," Sabella assured him kissing him on the lips.

Neither of the twins awoke after they were place in the bassinets.

"They looked so peaceful," Sabella said looking down at them as they slept.

"They do, don't they," Malcolm said putting an arm around Sabella's shoulder and pulling her closer to him.

"You bought four bassinets?" Sabella said looking over at two bassinets still in their boxes.

"Yes," Malcolm replied, "two for upstairs and two for down here. I didn't like the idea of you and Mabel having to tote these things back and forth for the twins."

"Are you saying you would've allowed us to lug these things up and down the stairs without offering to help?" Sabella said her tone teasing.

"Of course not," Malcolm said his tone teasingly offended. "The idea of me lugging those things up and down the stairs didn't appeal to me either."

"You're so silly," Sabella said smiling at him.

"I am I too silly to get another thank you kiss?"

"You're cute enough to overlook the silliness," said bringing her lips up to meet his.

As they kissed Malcolm turned Sabella's body so that it was pressed against his. He loved the tingle that moved through his body, whenever he held her that way.

Sabella fought to hold back a moan that almost escaped her lips as she felt Malcolm's body react to their kissing.

If they were in 2009, she would be able to show Malcolm the effect that kissing him had on her, and it might not shock him. But, given the time and the sensibilities of the era she thought that Malcolm might think less of her and that wasn't something Sabella could live with.

"We'd better stop," Malcolm said as the kiss ended. "I'm finding it harder and harder to control myself when it comes to you."

'Who says you have to control yourself?' Sabella thought to herself. 'Why can't you take me upstairs and make love to me the way I want you to? Why can't you stoke the fire of desire, I feel consuming my body until we both combust into flames of passion, then to orgasmic satisfaction? Why can't I undress you and we both come together and drive each other over that passion cliff calling out each other's names as we fall over and float back down to earth on our climatic parachute?'

"Yeah," Sabella said, "I guess we, should go and eat dinner."

"After you," Malcolm said allowing Sabella to a pass by him."

Sabella prepared their dinner and Malcolm pushed the bassinets with the twins in them into the dining room.

"My sister Regina thinks I should name the twins", Sabella said as she placed Malcolm's plate in front of him on the table.

"What do you think?" Malcolm asked.

"I don't like calling them baby boy or baby girl", Sabella said. "Nor, do I like calling them twins baby boy or twin baby girl. I think naming them would be a good thing."

"You don't think that naming them will make it harder for you if you if they're discovered, and you have to give them up?" Malcolm asked.

"They're already in my heart, Malcolm", Sabella said. "If they're discovered and taken away from me, I'll be devastated. If anyone tries to take them away from me, they will have one hell of a fight on their hands."

"O-o-o-okay," Malcolm said raising his eyebrows, "I guess you should name them then. Have you thought of any names you like?"

"No," Sabella said. "I thought of naming them after their parents."

Malcolm went silent, at, Sabella's suggestion, but the look in his eyes told her that he didn't think too much of her suggestion.

"What names would you suggest?" Sabella asked deciding not to react to Malcolm's reaction to naming the twins after their parents.

Malcolm looked down at the little girl twin, and as usual she was lying down in her bassinet sleeping, as if she didn't have a care in the world, a hint of a smile on her face.

"Serena," Malcolm said. "She's calm and soothing like a pond and she makes you feel that way. Something about her just makes you not want to disturb the calmness surrounding her."

Sabella liked the name Serena but not for the same reason Malcolm did. The baby girl did have a calmness about her, but Sabella also saw a little bit, of fight in her, a spirit about her, that she likened to Serena Williams the tennis player. 

Serena went into a game that was usually dominated by whites and later by her older sister Venus, but she hung in there and rose to the top. Eventually gaining respect for her talent and beating her older sister and Sabella saw the same thing in baby girl. She knew if given the chance Serena would also rise to the top and succeed.

"What name would you give the boy twin?" Sabella asked.

Malcolm walked over to the little boy and looked down at him lying in his bassinet. The little boy's eyes were open, and he seemed to be staring Malcolm directly in the eyes. 

As if he was asking who are you? Malcolm knew that many whites would consider even at this age the baby looking them directly in the eyes to be a threat. 

Their response would've been that they were going to have to break him, show him how he's supposed to act, put out the fire they saw burning in his eyes, put him in his place. 

But, there was something about the little boy that told Malcolm that putting him in his place wouldn't be an easy task. 

There was a strength in the little boy's eyes that said he would stand toe to toe to any man.

"I would call him, Solomon," Malcolm replied. "There's something in his eyes that says that he's going to be a strong, but wise and determined man. He's just a few days old, and he's already looking me in the eyes, like he's trying to size me up to see if I'm worth knowing or giving time to."

"Serena and Solomon," Sabella said allowing the names to roll around in her mouth. "I like them. One calm and the other strong. Serena and Solomon will be their names. Thank you for helping me. Ididn't know what names would fit them."

"Just calling them as I see them," Malcolm said.



Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 12



Carolyn sat in her room still licking her wounds from the talk she had with her father about her chasing after Malcolm.

She couldn't believe it when her father came storming into the house looking for her. His face contorted out of shape, his nostrils flaring, his hands balled into tight fists, held tightly against his side.

"This is the last time I'm going to speak these words to you, daughter of mine," he said after he stomped his way upstairs, kicked her bedroom door open and got into her face. His tone sent a cold chill down Carolyn's spine letting her know that he was serious about what he was saying to her. "Because, if you don't listen to me this time, you're going to be on your own, meaning that you will no longer be welcomed in this house. Do you understand me?"

Carolyn nodded her head yes.

"You will leave Malcolm alone," her father said. "He doesn't want you, he has never wanted you. I'm sick to my stomach of watching you offer yourself up to him on a silver platter, and him continually rejecting you. I have stood by and watched you try to lure Malcolm to your bed because I thought you would eventually give up and find someone who wants you. But, that idea or concept isn't something you're willing to try. Because, your chasing after Malcolm is threatening everything I've spent my entire life building up, I have to step in now. I have to make sure you understand that he's off limits to you, and you will leave him alone. Do you understand Carolyn?"

Carolyn once again nodded her head.

"That won't cut it," her father said. "I need to hear you say you understand what I'm saying to you."

"I understand," Carolyn said her voice shaky.

"Don't push me on this Carolyn," her father said. "You'll lose."

"Who does he think he is?" Carolyn said speaking to her reflection in her vanity mirror after her father left. "How dare, he say, that Malcolm doesn't want me. Old man doesn't know what he's talking about. Malcolm does want me. He has to. We're meant to be together. There's not a woman in the county better for him than me and there's not a man in the county better for me than him. Besides why wouldn't he want me?"

Carolyn brought her hand up and slowly and gently drew her fingers down her left cheek, under her chin up the right side of her face.

"My skin is smooth, silky, soft and flawless," she said to her reflection. "Just the way mama said men liked it."

She reached up and removed the hair pins holding her hair in the up do she styled it in when she dressed that morning and let her hair fall to her waist, running her fingers through it as it fell causing the thick mass of curls to fall around her shoulders like a curtain.

"My hair is just as smooth, soft and silky as my skin. Just the way mama said men like it."

"My figure," she said turning away from her vanity mirror and walking over to the full length mirror that hung on the back of her bedroom door, "is shapely, like a cola bottle. Large breasts," she said as she lowered the straps to the bra and slip, she was wearing revealing her size thirty-eight D breasts. "Mama said men loved nice large firm breasts and pink nipples," she said pinching the nipples of both her breasts, twisting them between her fingers, a moan escaping her lips as the sensation of what she was doing traveled through her body ending in her core causing her to become wet.

"My waist is small. So, small a man's hands could come together if he held me there, just like mama said. My hips are curvy meant to be held on to as a man makes love to me just like mama said. And my pussy," Carolyn said running a finger down her flat stomach and slipping it into the hottest most sensitive part of her body and biting her nail to keep herself from screaming as she pushed the finger as far as it would go up into her vagina, 

"well my pussy isn't as tight as it should be for my husband on our wedding night. But, hell a woman has needs. Malcolm should be glad he's not getting an inexperienced, neophyte, someone he would have to teach how to please him."

A smile appeared on Carolyn's face, and she became more aroused and wetter as she thought of Ben Tompkins the boy who deflowered her when she was sixteen.

She had been upset that night because Malcolm was on a date with another girl. Ben offered to wipe away her tears and make her feel better.

Her fingers began to move faster in and out of her core as she remembered the feeling of Ben stretching her, filling her, making her scared he wouldn't fit. She bit her bottom lip when she thought about the way her pussy gripped him when he finally gave her all he had. The way he pounded into her when she came for the first time causing her to scream as her orgasm flooded her body, making him come along with her.

Carolyn was lying on her back on her bed, her breathing labored, her legs splayed wide open, her fingers jammed into her pussy, her release flowing over them, her mouth open, her eyes closed, her body dripping with sweat, when she finally came back down to earth. A smile on her face.

"No," she thought to herself as she removed her fingers from her vagina and sat up on her bed, 'I won't be a virgin when me and Malcolm come together on our wedding night, like mama said I should be. But, neither will he, so, we'll both start out even on that score.'

******************************

"These diapers aren't going to last too much longer," Malcolm said as he put a fresh diaper on Solomon's bottom. "Maybe we should start buying some regular diapers."

"I think you're right," Sabella said lightly tickling Serena's belly after changing her diaper causing her to coo. "Although I think these two will probably out grow these diapers before they run out of them because they're getting so big."

"They are growing," Malcolm agreed.

"The two of you are talking like they're a year old," Mabel said taking Solomon out of Malcolm's arms, preparing to feed him. "They're only a week old, they haven't grown that much."

"But newborns can change so quickly during the early parts of their lives," Sabella said picking up Serena and following Mabel out of the bedroom, downstairs to the dining room where the twins would be fed.

They had prepared the twins bottles and were about to feed them when the calmness of the house was destroyed when someone started banging on Malcolm's front door.

"What the hell?" Malcolm said as he rushed over to his gun cabinet, pulled out a shotgun, cocked and loaded it. "Take the twins upstairs," he told Sabella and Mabel, "and don't come downstairs until I call you."

Sabella and Mabel took the twins and ran upstairs.

Malcolm was slowly making his way towards the front door when an angry drunken voice that he easily recognized and dreaded hearing started calling his name.

"Sabella," Malcolm said calling her downstairs to let her know that they weren't in any danger.

"What?" Sabella replied sticking her head around the corner.

"Malcolm!, I know you're in there. You come and open this door right now or I'm going to kick it down."

"Is that..."

"Yes," Malcolm replied answering before Sabella could finish asking her question.

"Malcolm," Mabel said coming to the top of the stairs a surprised look on her face, "do you know that...?"

"Yes," Malcolm said, "I do."

"Do you also know that she's out there butt naked?" Mabel asked.

"What?" Malcolm and Sabella replied at the same time."

"She's standing in the driveway naked as the day she was born," Mabel said.

"Please tell me you're kidding," Malcolm pleaded.

"Can't do that," Mabel said tossing a sheet, she was holding down to Malcolm. "You're going to need that."

Malcolm caught the sheet and made his way towards his front door. He put his hand on the door knob, counted to ten to get control of his temper as she called his name for the third time.

When she banged on the front door again Malcolm snatched it open and confronted a drunken Carolyn standing on his front porch. "I knew you would open the door, because you don't want anybody looking at what belongs to you."

"Carolyn, what are you doing here?" Malcolm asked stepping on to the porch taking the sheet he was holding and wrapping it around Carolyn's body."

As Malcolm wrapped her up in the sheet Carolyn threw her arms around his neck.

"Kiss me, Malcolm," she said her words slurring and her breath so heavy with the scent of alcohol it caused Malcolm's eyes to start burning. "Kiss me, kiss me, kiss me."

"I'm not going to kiss you Carolyn," Malcolm said pushing her away from him, pushing her towards her car. "Get into the car, I'm taking you home."

"I didn't come over here so that you could take me home," Carolyn said pushing away from Malcolm freeing herself from his grasp and the sheet that was covering her body, leaving her nude once again. "I came over here to show you what you could have if you gave us a chance."

"Carolyn you need to stop and let me take you home," Malcolm said walking towards her with the sheet to cover her up.

"Do you know that I've loved you, my entire life?" Carolyn asked. "The first day I saw you, I think I lost my heart to you. You're so beautiful. I've often thought that if you weren't so beautiful, so handsome that I wouldn't want you so much. But, I would've fallen in love with your inner beauty, your kindness and your compassion for other. Why can't you show me some compassion, Malcolm? Why can't you love me the way I love you?"

"You're drunk, Carolyn," Malcolm said. "You don't know what you're saying."

"I do know what I'm saying," Carolyn demanded, moving out of Malcolm's reach. "I want you to love me. My mama told me that a man would love me if I kept my figure nice. Don't you like my figure, Malcolm?," she asked twirling around so that Malcolm could see how nice and curvy she was.

"Don't do this Carolyn," Malcolm said rushing over to her, grabbing her and covering her with the sheet once again. "Please, Carolyn, don't do this to yourself or me."

Carolyn looked at Malcolm, fell against his body and began to cry. Malcolm put his arms around her and held her when he felt her body began to fall towards the ground. 

He picked her up into his arms and carried her to the passenger side of her car and put her inside. Afraid that she might move over to the driver side, start the car up making a mad dash for her home, he took the keys out of the ignition. 

After removing the keys from the ignition he made his way over to the driver's side, opened the door, slid behind the wheel of the car, started it up and headed to Carolyn's house.

"I'm sorry," Carolyn said as Malcolm drove her home. "I don't know what came over me or why I'm behaving the way I am."

Malcolm didn't say anything in response to Carolyn's apology he just kept staring straight ahead at the road.

When they reached Carolyn's home, her father was standing on the porch drinking a cup of coffee.

Ed, looked up and wondered why Malcolm was driving his daughter's car and why she was sitting on the passenger side. 

The cup of coffee he was drinking slipped from his hand and fell on to the porch when Carolyn got out of her car wearing a sheet.

"What the hell?" Ed said rushing over to his daughter to find out what had happened to her. 

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Oh, daddy," Carolyn said getting out of the car and rushing into her father's arms. "It was horrible. I was so scared."

"What did you do to her?" Ed asked turning his attention to Malcolm.

"I didn't do anything to her," Malcolm said. "I'm just bringing her home after she showed up at my house drunk and with no clothes on."

"Why you lying son-of-bitch!" Ed said turning and charging towards Malcolm, knocking him down to the ground their bodies collided against each other.

Ed landed on top of Malcolm and punched him in the face.

"What did you do to my daughter?!" Ed screamed hitting Malcolm in the face as he said each word.

Malcolm drew his fist back and hit Ed in the nose knocking him off him. "I didn't do anything to Carolyn!," Malcolm tried to tell him again. "She showed up at my place naked and drunk, and I brought her home!"

"He raped me, daddy!" Carolyn screamed fake tears now running down her face. "I went over to his place to talk to him and to apologize for any trouble, I might've caused him. He said he accepted my apology and suggested that we go into his house and talk. When we got inside and were sitting on the couch in the living room, he attacked me."

Malcolm couldn't believe what he was hearing. Everything, Carolyn did was planned, a set up and like a sheep being led to slaughter, he walked into her trap.

"I did not rape her," he told her father. "She's lying."

"Don't you dare, call my daughter a liar," Ed said jumping up and going after Malcolm again.

He lost his element of surprise and Malcolm was prepared for him this time. He hit Ed so hard in the face that he knocked him out. Ed fell face first onto the ground kissing the dirt.

"What have you done to my father?!" Carolyn said rushing over to her dad.

"Why are you lying?" Malcolm asked ignoring the prone elderly man lying at his feet.

"You did rape me," Carolyn said smiling at Malcolm a smug look on her face all signs of being drunk miraculously vanishing, "and you can't prove that you didn't."

Angry that Carolyn would accuse him of such a horrible, disgusting act, lied about it and wanting to wipe the smug look off her face, Malcolm slapped Carolyn across her face.

"I should be angry you did that," Carolyn said rubbing her right cheek that now had Malcolm's handprint emblazoned upon it, "but I'm not. It'll make my story more believable when I report it to the sheriff. Which I will do if you don't agree to marry me within the next two weeks."

Malcolm's jaw went slack-jawed and fell open. "I'm not going to marry you," he told Carolyn.

"Yes, you are," Carolyn said her smile returning. "If you don't you're going to jail and that colored girl you've been playing house with and the babies will fall into the hands of the Sheriff, and I know you don't want that to happen."

"You little conniving bitch," Malcolm said.

"That's not a nice thing for a man to say to his future wife," Carolyn said moving closer to Malcolm. "You've got twenty-four hours to decide. My father and I will be by your house tomorrow around noon for your answer. Of course we both know there is only one answer you can give. Don't we Malcolm?"

"How do you know your father is going to go along with this?" Malcolm asked.

"I'm his little girl," Carolyn said her daddy's little girl routine in full effect. "He wants me to be happy, and he knows that having you as my husband will make me happy. So, he'll agree to whatever, I want."

They were staring each other down when Mabel drove up in her truck to pick Malcolm up and take him home. 

Because he wasn't expecting her, she blew her horn to alert him to her arrival.

Malcolm and Carolyn turned at the sound of Mabel's horn and looked in her direction. Malcolm turned away from Carolyn and headed towards Mabel's truck.

"Malcolm," Carolyn said calling after him causing him to stop in his tracks. "I want Mabel fired and I want that girl and those screaming brats out of my home."

Malcolm turned and walked back towards Carolyn. "I'm not going to fire Mabel, and I'm not going to put RaeLynn and the twins out of the house on to the streets," he said. "Mabel has been a loyal housekeeper and friend to my family, and I'm not going to fire her. RaeLynn and the twins have nowhere else to go, I'm not going to put them out on to the street."

"As the new lady of the house (I love the sound of that)," Carolyn said her tone arrogant and smug, "I'll pick my own house staff and the fact that RaeLynn and those brats don't have anywhere to go isn't my concern. I don't want to start our married life with people who aren't family, or that I can't trust in my home. When my father and I come by tomorrow I expect you to be the only person in the house. Have I made myself clear?"

Malcolm didn't respond to anything Carolyn said, he simply turned around and headed towards Mabel's truck.

"I'm serious, Malcolm," Carolyn said her voice holding a hint of a warning. "Don't try me on this."

Malcolm kept walking a smile slowly appearing on his face, when he opened the passenger door and climbed into Mabel's truck.

"What happened to Ed," Mabel asked seeing Carolyn go over and tend to her father.

"I knocked him out," Malcolm replied nonchalantly.

"Why did you do that?" Mabel asked not believing what she'd just heard.

"Carolyn accused me of raping her," Malcolm said his tone still calm.

"What?!" Mabel said slamming on her brakes almost sending Malcolm through the windshield. "Why would she tell her father that?"

"She wants me to marry her," Malcolm replied buckling up his seatbelt. "She's given me two weeks to marry her or she's going to tell the Sheriff that I raped her and have me arrested. She's given me twenty-four hours to fire you, get Sabella and the twins out of the house and to decide if I'm going to marry her or go to jail."

"She must've forgotten that Sabella and I were there when she pulled her little stunt," Mabel said. "We can tell the Sheriff that she's lying."

"You're like a mother to me, Mabel," Malcolm said placing his hand on top of hers. "People would think you were lying to protect me and you know they wouldn't give any weight to what Sabella said because she's colored. So the situation would come down to my word against Carolyn's."

"And because she's a woman and people would never suspect a woman of lying about something so awful they would naturally believe her," Mabel said.

"That's the way she's expecting it to go," Malcolm said.

"What're you going to do?" Mabel asked.

"I'm going to pull the rug from under the bitch," Malcolm said, "and her father."

"Now, Malcolm, you know you were raised to respect women no matter what they do," Mabel said her voice stern. "I won't tolerate that kind of language when referring to a woman normally, but in this case I have to agree with you. Now tell me how you're going to pull the rug from under the bitch."

Malcolm threw his head back and let loose with a loud laugh. "I'm not going to talk about what I have planned for Carolyn right now," he said. 

"I'll explain everything tomorrow. Today is the fourth of July, and today we celebrate the day or country gained it's independence and Sabella's birthday."

"That's right," Mabel said. "Today is Sabella's birthday. What did you get her?"

"I'm not going to tell you," Malcolm said pretending to zip his lips closed.

"Are you going to tell her about Carolyn's scheme to get you to marry her?" Mabel asked.

Not, tonight. I don't want anything to ruin her birthday."

"I'm going to assume you're not going to the annual parade," Mabel said.

"No," Malcolm replied. "I'm going to spend the day with Sabella and the twins."

"People are going to talk," Mabel noted.

"I know," Malcolm said, "and I really don't care. I love her, Mabel. I want to marry her."

"It's against the law, Malcolm," Mabel said. 

"There's not a place or a preacher in the whole state of Texas that would marry you and Sabella. They would call the law on both of you, first. And even if you did find someone that would marry the two of you, it wouldn't be legal and that person would be put in jail for performing the ceremony."

"I know," Malcolm said finally fully understanding what Sabella meant when she said that laws passed to keep one group of people down would impede on the rights of everyone. "But, I promise you, it's going to happen. Sabella is going to become my wife. You can put money on that."

Mabel heard the determination in Malcolm's voice and wondered what he had planned, how he was going to get around the law in Texas and legally make Sabella his wife. 




Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 12



She believed he would do it, she just hoped he was able to do it without going to jail. Because him going to jail wouldn't help him, Sabella or the twins.



Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 13



Hello, fellow members. I know it's been awhile, since I've updated any of my stories, and I'm sorry about that, but I haven't been slacking. I have a good excuse. I'm in the process of editing, updating and extending a book that's I'm going to publish, and it has taken all my attention. This story is being updated because Sabella and Malcolm got up in my face and demanded my attention (these two can be such spoil brats sometimes). So here for your enjoyment is Chapter 13, please read, comment, vote and enjoy. Oh, and please over look my mistakes. I'm trying to get better, but I don't always succeed.




Sabella stood in Malcolm's living room, holding the phone up to her ear listening as Carolyn spoke.

"I was hoping you would answer the phone," Carolyn said the tone of her vice sending a chill through Sabella.

"What do you want?" Sabella asked knowing that whatever this heifer wanted to say wouldn't bode well for her or the twins.

"I just wanted to let you know that Malcolm is on his way home with some news for you," Carolyn said wishing she was talking face to face with RaeLynn (Sabella) so that she could see the look on her face when she told her about her and Malcolm getting married. "Actually what he has to tell you is going to affect you and the twins."

"Thank you for calling," Sabella said about to hang up the phone because she didn't want to hear anything Carolyn had to say to her.

"Don't hang up," Carolyn said. "Because I don't trust Malcolm to come right out and tell you our news, I'm going to tell you myself."

"Okay," Sabella said anxious to get off the phone.

The calmness of Sabella's voice irked Carolyn.

"Malcolm and I are getting married," Carolyn said waiting to hear Sabella's reaction.

Sabella's reaction wasn't what she expected. Instead of getting angry and calling Carolyn a liar, Sabella started laughing uncontrollably.

"Stop it," Carolyn said her temper rising. "Stop, laughing right now!"

"I'm sorry," Sabella said, "but you can't call, here say something that outrageous and funny and not expect me to laugh. There's no way in the world Malcolm would marry you."

Sabella threw her head back as another bout of laughter rose up through her chest, out her mouth.

"Oh, he's going to marry me," Carolyn said. "He'll marry me or he goes to jail."

That statement got Sabella's attention and she was no longer laughing.

"Why would Malcolm be sent to jail?" she asked.

"For raping me," Carolyn replied, "when I came over to his house for a visit."

"You lying bit..," Sabella said stopping herself before she called Carolyn a female dog. "How can you fix your mouth to tell such a disgusting lie?"

"I'm not lying," Carolyn said innocently. "At least that's what I'm going to tell the Sheriff. I'm sure he'll believe me, especially with my father backing me up by telling him how distraught I was when Malcolm brought me home."

"You're forgetting that Mabel and I were here when you came over to Malcolm's house," Sabella said. 

"We can tell the Sheriff how you showed up over here drunk, naked and screaming about how much you love Malcolm."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Carolyn said the sugary sweetness seeping through her voice making Sabella want to pull her through the phone and beat the hell out of her. "I haven't been drinking, which my father can attest to and as far as you and Mabel being witnesses, I'm afraid Mabel's word isn't going to carry too much weight, not when everyone knows that she loves Malcolm like a son, and if she thought that it would help him get out of trouble that she would lie for him. And, as for you, RaeLynn (Sabella), you have to know that no one would take the word of, you, a colored woman over me, a white woman."

Sabella couldn't argue neither point because Carolyn was right on both points. No one would believe Mabel because of her close relationship with Malcolm, and they wouldn't believe her because of the color of her skin.

Carolyn had Malcolm right where she wanted him, because of the sensibilities of the time, he had no way out. The only choice he had was to marry the bitch, if he wanted to stay out of jail.

"I've given Malcolm two weeks to make up his mind," Carolyn said snidely to Sabella. "But, he really has no choice, I know he's going to fight me to the end, but eventually he'll see that marrying me is the only choice he has. He'll make that choice a lot sooner if you and those babies aren't around."

"Why would you want to be married to a man who doesn't want you?" Sabella asked.

"How do you know that Malcolm doesn't want me?" Carolyn said her voice filled with anger. "Who, the hell are you to make such a statement? I didn't call you to discuss Malcolm's feelings for me. I called you to tell you that Malcolm is going to jail if he and I aren't married with the next two weeks. As, I said before he'll make his decision a lot quicker if you and those brats aren't around to get in our way. I suggest for your own good and for the good, of those two little pick-a-nannies that you take them and get out of town. If you don't you'll, wound up in jail too and there's no telling what'll happen to the brats."

"Why are you..."

"No, more questions, you stupid nigger!" Carolyn shouted. "I want you and those brats out of my house!"

The sound of Carolyn slamming the phone down ending their conversation was the last sound Sabella heard.

'The woman is crazy,' Sabella said to herself putting the phone down and making her way over too the twins sleeping in their cribs in the living room. 

She looked down at the sleeping babies thinking that Carolyn might be crazy, but she was right, she and the twins had to leave.

Sabella went upstairs to gather her things and whatever the twins would need and prepared to leave Malcolm's house.

******************************

"Do you think she'll leave?" Carolyn's father asked her.

Carolyn turned to face her father. "Of course she's going to leave," she said chuckling, "she wants to keep those babies safe, and she doesn't want Malcolm to go to jail."

"Why did you give Malcolm two weeks to make up his mind?" her father asked.

"I want a wedding," Carolyn replied. "It won't be as grand as I want, but two weeks should be enough time to put together a small ceremony and a decent reception."

"Why don't you and Malcolm elope?"

"Because I want pictures," Carolyn said, "and I want all the nay-sayers in this town who said Malcolm would never marry me to be there, all of them eating crow, choking on their own words."

"I won't be home for dinner," Ed said. "I have some things to handle, and I won't be home until late tonight."

"Alright," Carolyn replied. "I'm going to start making arrangements for my wedding. It's going to be the surprise event of the year."

******************************

Ed made his way over to Mayor Jones' home confident he would welcome the news that he had to tell him. He wondered how many apologies he would get when everyone heard how Carolyn had helped solve their problem with Malcolm. 

Ed's chest puffed up with pride when he thought of the way his daughter had unknowingly solved his and his fellow Klan members problem without even knowing it, removing the hold Malcolm had on them for over twenty years.

Mayor Jones was standing on his front porch when Ed pulled into his driveway. He watched Ed get out of car and walk towards him with a great big smile on his face that sent a sense of dread through him.

"Hello, Ed," Mayor Jones said.

"We need to talk," Ed said ignoring the Mayor's greeting.

"About?" the Mayor asked arching an eyebrow.

"Malcolm," Ed replied.

"What about him?" the Mayor asked sitting up straight.

"He's no longer a threat to us," Ed replied, a big smile on his face, "and we have my daughter to thank for it."

"What has Carolyn done now?" Mayor Jones asked Ed, his sense of dread rising and making its way down his spine, sending a cold chill through his body.

"Wait until you hear this," Ed said the stupid smile on his face growing bigger.

Ed told the Mayor everything that had happened and the Mayor's reaction wasn't what he expected. Instead of being happy and thanking Ed for what Carolyn had done Mayor Jones face grew redder and redder by the minute. 

Ed stepped back as Mayor Jones began clenching and unclenching his hands because he knew that it meant he'd angered the Mayor to the point that he might punch him in the face.

"Don't you see?" Ed said trying to get the Mayor to see the benefit of what Carolyn had done. "We have the upper hand now. Malcolm is no longer a threat to us. If he threatens us again, we can threaten to have him locked up for raping Carolyn."

Mayor Jones closed his eyes trying to get control of his temper and not smack the hell out of the fool standing in front of him. "Do you believe that Malcolm raped your daughter?" he asked the calmness of his voice unnerving Ed.

"Of course I believe it," Ed replied with as much confidence as he could muster.

Mayor Jones responded to Ed's answer with a look on his face that demanded that Ed tell him the truth.

"It's not about what I believe," Ed said caving in, "all that matters, is what Carolyn says, and she says that Malcolm raped her.

"You're an idiot Ed," Mayor Jones replied. "Nobody in Culbert County is going to believe that Malcolm raped Carolyn. Hell, nobody two counties over would believe that Malcolm raped her. Not, when everybody within a hundred miles of Culbert County knows that your daughter has been after Malcolm for years trying to get him to either marry her or fall into her bed. The question on everybody's mind is going to be, why would he rape her when she's been itching to give herself to him?"

"Are you calling my, daughter a liar?" Ed asked.

"No, Ed," Mayor Jones said. "I'm asking you why would Malcolm have to take something that Carolyn has been waving under his nose every time she sees him. I'm saying that no one is going to believe that Malcolm raped Carolyn and, even if anyone believed that stupid story it's not going to help our situation with Malcolm."

"Yes, it will," Ed said. "The threat of going to jail will keep Malcolm in line."

"That threat only works for two weeks, Ed," Mayor Jones said. "It disappears after Malcolm and Carolyn are married, because Carolyn will be his wife and in the eyes of the law a husband can't rape his wife. He doesn't have to take what legally belongs to him."

The color drained from Ed's face when he realized the Mayor was right, after Malcolm married Carolyn the threat of going to jail would be useless. Ed hadn't thought of that. He now realized that Carolyn, might've ruined things for everyone, instead of making them better.

"I hope that stupid daughter of yours isn't planning on a big wedding because it's not going to happen," Mayor Jones said as he made his way into his house.

"What're you going to do?" Ed asked following the Mayor into his house.

"I'm going to call the others," Mayor Jones said. 

"We've got to do something about this."

"You're not going to hurt Carolyn," Ed said his tone threatening.

"I'm not making any promises," Mayor Jones said, "she might become collateral damage, this is her fault."

******************************

After making sure she had everything she and the twins might need Sabella went back into the house to get the twins.

Solomon and Serena were sitting on the couch in their baby seats. Sabella picked up both seats and carried them out to the car. She knew they weren't in the safest thing for them to travel in, but it was all she had.

"Alright guys," Sabella said adjusting the twins seats making sure they were strapped in as secure as she could make it. "We're on our way. I don't know where we're going, but we can't stay here, not with that crazy bitch running around. I left Malcolm a note. I know he's going to be angry, but we have no choice, and he'll just have to understand."

Sabella closed and locked the rear passenger door, then she opened the front driver side door and slid behind the wheel. After adjusting the rear view mirror so that she could see the twins in the back seat, she stuck the keys into the ignition, started her Hummer. She smiled grateful it started right up since it had been a while, since she'd driven it.

Sabella had made it halfway down the driveway when Malcolm's pickup truck pulled into the driveway blocking her path.

For a few seconds Malcolm and Sabella stared at each other neither of them making a move to exit their vehicles.

"What is that thing she's sitting in?" Mable asked staring at the Hummer.

"Don't move this truck," Malcolm said ignoring her question as he opened the passenger door of his truck and exited it. "No, matter what happens, do not move this truck."

"Okay," Mabel said still staring at the Hummer.

Malcolm, slowly moved towards the front of his pickup. When he reached the front he stopped, folded his arms across his chest all the while his eyes were trained on Sabella.

The look in Malcolm's eyes told Sabella that he was angry and that she was in serious trouble.

"Turn off the engine, Sabella," Malcolm said his calm voice laden with anger and his nostrils flaring, "turn it off now."

Sabella was about to say something but Malcolm spoke before she could respond.

"I don't want to hear anything but that engine being shutdown," Malcolm said his voice calm as the first time he spoke.

"We have to leave," Sabella said after she lowered the driver's side window. "Carolyn called, she told me what she did."

"Turn the engine off and get out of that damn thing right now," Malcolm demanded completely ignoring what Sabella said about Carolyn calling.

Sabella was tempted to go around Malcolm and drive through his fence. She knew she could do it with her Hummer and there would be little to no damage to her baby, but because she had the twins in the car, and she wasn't willing to risk them being hurt.

"Malcolm, you have to let us leave," Sabella pleaded hoping that he would listen to her. "If we stay here the twins, and I will be in danger. There's no telling what Carolyn will do if you don't do what she wants."

Instead of responding to what Sabella said Malcolm walked up to the driver's side of the Hummer, reached inside and took hold of the key, turned off the engine and removed it from the ignition.

"You're not leaving me or the Double M," Malcolm said as he opened the driver's side door. "Get out."

"Malcolm..."

"Now!" Malcolm bellowed.

Sabella let out a sigh and exited the Hummer.

As Sabella got out of the Hummer Mabel exited Malcolm's truck.

"What is that?" Mable asked as she walked towards the Hummer.

"That's what I want to know," the Sheriff said walking up Malcolm's drive way towards Malcolm, Sabella and Mabel. "what is that and where did it come from?"

"Get off my property," Malcolm ordered blocking the Sheriff's path so that he could advance no further.

"Why was that girl sitting in that thing?" Sheriff Jenkins asked ignoring Malcolm's demand that he, get off his property.

"Get off my property," Malcolm demanded again. "Whatever's going on, here isn't illegal, and it's none of your business."

"If she's trying to steal that contraction, what she's doing is illegal," Sheriff Jenkins shot back, "and I'm making it my business."

"No, one here reported anything stolen," Malcolm said, "and in order for there to be a crime someone has to make an accusation and since that hasn't happened you have no legal reason to be here. So, I'm telling you once again to get off my property."

If knowing the law was all Malcolm had, going for him, there was no way Sheriff Jenkins would've backed down. Hell, he wouldn't have backed down if Malcolm only had his Uncle backing him up, but taking on Malcolm meant taking on more than his Uncle. It meant him taking on people who could cause him a whole lot of problems, big problems. 

So, Sheriff Jenkins did what he really didn't want to do and backed down.

"This isn't over," he told Malcolm. "Something is going on here, and I'm going to find out what it is and when I do I'll be back. Then I'll be able to interrogate you, your guest, her help and there'll be nothing you can do about it."

Malcolm was about to tell Sheriff Jenkins if he came anywhere near Sabella, he would be sorry when the Sheriff's police radio went off. The dispatcher told the Sheriff that the Mayor wanted to see him right away.

"Tell him, I'm on my way," Sheriff Jenkins told the dispatcher. "This isn't over," he said to Malcolm as he got into his police car. "This is not over."

After watching the Sheriff drive away Malcolm returned his attention back to Sabella.

"Put that thing back into the garage," he ordered.

The tone of Malcolm's voice told Sabella that it wouldn't be wise for her to argue with Malcolm, so she did as he said and pulled the Hummer back into the garage.

Malcolm climbed into his truck and pulled it further up into his driveway, while Mabel went to help Sabella bring the twins back into the house.

Once they were all in the house, Malcolm asked Mabel if she would stay downstairs with the twins while he and Sabella went upstairs to talk.

"I'll watch them," Mabel said, "but I don't want you to get all up in Sabella's face over this. She was leaving because she was trying to protect you and the twins."

"Don't get all up in her face," Malcolm said surprised to hear Mabel speaking in such a manner. 

"When did you start sounding like Sabella?"

"Don't change the subject," Mabel said. "Promise me you're not going to start screaming at Sabella."

"I promise you when I go upstairs I won't scream at Sabella," Malcolm said holding his hand up and displaying the sign the boy scouts used when they took the boy scout oath.

"I'll be listening," Mabel warned him as Malcolm made his way over to Sabella, took her by the hand and led her up the stairs.

When they reached the top of the stairs, Sabella tried to go to her room, but Malcolm pulled her into his bedroom.

Once they were both inside Malcolm's room, Malcolm closed the door, fell against it, pulled Sabella into his arms and brought his lips roughly down upon hers.

The kiss was so passionate and demanding it overwhelmed Sabella both mentally and physically. She felt her world beginning to spin causing her to tighten her hold on Malcolm.

As he kissed her, Malcolm slipped his hands under her shirt anxious to feel her skin under his fingertips. 

Her skin was warm and soft as he expected and more. Needing to feel more of her, against him, Malcolm's hands slid down her body stopping and gripping her derrière and pressing his hardness against her core, sending a wave of passion through her body that she thought she would most surely drown in.

"Malcolm," Sabella said her words coming out strained.

Still feeling the fear that swept through his body when he pulled into his driveway and saw Sabella sitting behind the wheel of her futuristic car Malcolm was unable to respond to her calling his name. He wanted her to take the fear away, he wanted to get closer to her.

"Malcolm."

"You were going to leave me?" Malcolm asked looking Sabella in the eyes and the fear he was feeling coming through in his voice and breaking her heart.

"Carolyn called and told me what she'd done," Sabella said tears streaming down her face, "and she said if you didn't agree to marry her that she was going to accuse you of raping her. I thought it would be for the best if me and the twins left. I didn't want you to have to choose between me, the twins, or your freedom."

"I'm not going to marry Carolyn," Malcolm said, "and I'm not going to lose you or the twins."

"What're you going to do?" Sabella asked. "Carolyn has threatened to tell the Sheriff you raped her and have you put in jail if you don't marry her."




Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 13



"I'll deal with Carolyn," Malcolm said surprising Sabella when he brought his lips down on hers delivering another passion filled kiss that made her toes curl.

"I love you, Sabella," Malcolm said placing light butterfly kisses on her neck. "I love you so much, it scares me. I never knew I could love anyone this deeply."

"But Malcolm this..."

Afraid of what she was going to say," Malcolm cut her off with another passionate kiss and all thought left Sabella's brain. 

His lips were like an intense magnet causing her body to arch towards his. Needing more of her Malcolm brought her arms up, raised her shirt over her head and threw it on the floor. The bright red bra she wore surprised and stunned him, he'd never seem anything like it. It seemed to make her skin glow.

"Beautiful," Malcolm said as if he could hardly pass a breath through his lungs. 'I'm glad bras haven't changed,' Malcolm thought to himself as he tried to undo Sabella's bra and ease it down her arms.

"We can't do this," Sabella said pulling her shirt down stopping him. "Mabel is downstairs."

"We, could if we were quiet," Malcolm said kissing her on the neck.

"What if she needs help with the twins?" Sabella said closing her eyes and strengthening her resolve not to give in. "We need to talk about the situation with Carolyn."

"There's nothing to talk about," Malcolm stated. "You and the twins are not leaving me."

"We have to," Sabella said. "It's the only thing for us to do, it's the only way to keep me and the twins safe and for you not to go to jail."

"Nothing is going to happen to you or the twins," Malcolm said, "and I'm not going to jail."

"How can you say that?!" Sabella asked becoming angry with Malcolm's nonchalant attitude. "Can't you see how determined Carolyn is about becoming your wife? She's willing to lie and say that you raped her to get you to agree to marry her."

"No one is going to believe I raped Carolyn," Malcolm said. "Everyone for miles around knows that she has been trying to get me into her bed for years, and I haven't been interested, in her then and certainly not now."

"We still need to leave," Sabella said. "This stunt that she just pulled proves that she's dangerous and out of control. If this stunt doesn't work, she'll try something else, and I don't think I'm willing to leave the twins or myself in her line of sight as weapons to be used against you."

"You...are...not...leaving...me," Malcolm said the determination in his voice coming through loud and clear to Sabella. "I'll deal with Carolyn and you and the twins won't have to leave."

"It would be easier to let me and the twins leave," Sabella said.

"It would kill me if you and the twins left," Malcolm said his voice filled with pain. "I love you, Sabella."

"We never should have started this," Sabella said, "especially since nothing can come of it, not here, not doing this time."

"Are you saying you don't love me?" Malcolm asked.

Sabella looked at him tempted to lie to him because it might enable him to allow her and the twins to walk out of his life. She pulled her bottom lip between and bit down lightly on it pondering what her answer should be.

"I want to hear the truth, Sabella," Malcolm told her.

"I love you," Sabella said tears streaming down her face once again, "I tried not to because I know it can't work out between us, but I couldn't help myself. I love you Malcolm and leaving you would cause me unbearable pain, but it's the only option we have."

Malcolm pulled Sabella into his arms, bringing her body against his, then he kissed her. She kissed him in return, the two of them becoming lost in the passion that seeped through every pore of their bodies.

They were both about to give into their desire for each other when the sound of one of the twins crying broke through the cloud of passion that had surrounded them.

"We'll talk more about this," Malcolm said resting, his forehead against Sabella's, "and we're going to come up with a solution, one that doesn't take you and the twins away from me. But, right now we need to get downstairs and help Mabel with Serena and Solomon."

"Okay," Sabella replied.

As they made their way downstairs Sabella's mind was on one thing and one thing only; getting her and the twins out of Culbert County and the dangerous situation they were in. 

By the time they reached the living room Sabella had decided that she and the twins would slip away later that night when Malcolm was asleep.

Leaving him was the last thing she wanted to do because she hadn't lied when she told Malcolm she loved him because she truly did, and if she only had herself to worry about in this situation she would consider staying by his side fighting against those trying to keep them apart or harm them. 

But, she had the twins to consider and given the unfair way people of color were treated doing the time period Sabella knew she couldn't there, not with Malcolm. 

She didn't know she and the twins were going to go when they left Malcolm's ranch, but she knew they would stand a better chance of surviving if they were moving rather than standing still.

The thought came to her mind that taking Malcolm's truck might be a good idea, it would allow her to blend in better, rather than driving her modern vehicle. 

But, she dismissed the idea because, just as people would be able to spot Malcolm on sight, they probably would be able to spot his truck also. And they would probably call the police the moment, they spotted anyone besides him driving it, especially a black woman.

Sabella had some things she needed to work out, but she was still determined that she and the twins would be leaving Malcolm's home that night.

*************************

Later that evening after helping preparing dinner, helping Sabella and Malcolm bathe Solomon and Serena and preparing them for bed, and getting Sabella to promise that she wouldn't do anything crazy, Mabel made her way home.

She was about a mile from Malcolm's ranch when she passed one of his ranch hands Bob Hendricks' truck sitting on the side of the road and him sitting on the running board.

"Do you need any help, Bob?" Mabel asked stopping her car.

"No, I'm fine," Bob replied, "just waiting on Bob Jr. to come bay and pick me up."

"Why don't you buy a new truck, Bob?" Mabel teased.

"Don't see the sense in throwing away good money on another truck when this one still has a lot of good years left in her," Bob said giving his usual answer when the locals suggested that he get rid of his old truck that he named Betsy.

"The only thing holding that thing together is the rust that's all over it," Mabel said, "and pretty soon that's going to eat through the entire truck and start leaving bits and pieces of it along the road as you drive it."

Bob was about to say something, when at that moment the driver's side front fender fell off and landed on the ground with a thud.

Unable to help herself Mabel broke out laughing, so loud and hard tears started rolling down her face as she watched Bob go over, pick up the bumper and toss it into the back of his truck.

"That can be fixed," Bob said his face turning red with embarrassment, "it doesn't mean I need a new truck."

The minute Bob finished what he had to say, the driver side front headlight fell to the ground.

"That doesn't count," Bob said going over and picking up the headlight and tossing it into the back of the truck along with the bumper, "it wasn't working anyway."

As she spoke Mabel began laughing so hard she could hardly breathe.

"I hope your son gets here before the rest of your truck winds up in the back," Mabel said as she drove away. "You'd be better off getting a new truck."

"Nosey, busybody," Bob muttered to himself as he watched Mabel drive away.

"That nosey, busybody is right," Sheriff Jenkins said climbing out of the back of Bob's truck and he wasn't smiling. "You need to get a new truck."

Sheriff Jenkins was hiding in the back of Bob's truck because he was wanted to keep an eye on Malcolm's ranch and he didn't want him to know he was watching. 

So, he convinced Bob to help him out because he was one of Malcolm's ranch hands and he knew that no one would become suspicious of him sitting on the side of the road because his truck was always breaking down.

"You dropped that damn fender on top of me when you threw it in the back of your truck," Sheriff Jenkins said dusting the rust off his uniform, "and you hit me on my ankle when you threw that 

damn headlight in the back."

"I'm sorry, Sheriff," Bob said. "I forgot you were back there."

"I'm going to give you thirty days to either get a new truck or get this bucket of bolts fixed," the Sheriff said, "and you can't drive this piece of junk around town either. If I see it on the road again, and it's not being towed by a tow truck I'm going to give you a ticket and impound this thing myself!"

"That ain't fair, Sheriff," Bob said, "not when all of this happened because I was trying to help you."

"That's why I'm giving you thirty days to do something about it," the Sheriff said, "instead of impounding that thing now. Now get out of here and try not to drop any more pieces while you're leaving."

"That's gratitude for you," Bob mumbled as he climbed into his truck. "People ask you to help them out and instead of sayin thank you, they threaten you. That's gratitude for you."

"Davis!" Sheriff Jenkins said into his walkie-talkie.

"Right here sir," the deputy replied.

"Bring the car," Sheriff Jenkins replied, "and if you see Bob Hendricks give him a ticket for driving an unsafe vehicle."

"I see him right now," Deputy Davis said, "I'll be at your locale, as soon as I'm through with Bob, over and out."

'Serves the ungrateful bastard right for mouthing off to me,' Sheriff Jenkins thought to himself.

"How long are you going to stay out here?" Deputy Davis asked the Sheriff when he reached his location.

"As long as it takes," Sheriff Jenkins replied. "Something is going on, on that ranch, and I'm going to find out what it is, if it's the last thing I do."

Jenkins settled down in his car watching Malcolm's ranch. Something told him that, that colored girl would be coming down the road sometime that night, and he would be there to greet her. He only hoped she would be driving that thing he saw her sitting in, in Malcolm's driveway. He wanted to get his hands on that baby.

*********************************

"We're all sleeping in my room tonight."

"What?" Sabella replied, her surprise at Malcolm's declaration coming through in her voice.

"We're all sleeping in my room tonight," Malcolm repeated as they were about to take the twins and go upstairs to bed.

"I'm not sleeping in your room," Sabella said her tone determined and defiant.

"We're not going to argue about this, Sabella," Malcolm said his tone just determined and defiant as Sabella's. "You, the wins and I are all sleeping in my room tonight."

"Why?" Sabella asked getting angry because if Malcolm got his way her plan to leave would be thwarted.

"To keep you from leaving me in the middle of the night," Malcolm said.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sabella said trying to bluff her way out of the situation.

"Tell me you weren't planning on leaving me in the middle of the night," Malcolm said the tone of his voice daring her to lie to him.

"Malcolm, what else can we do?" Sabella asked. 

"Sheriff Jenkins is after you, Carolyn is trying to blackmail you and what about Solomon and Serena. There's no telling what's going to happen to them, and it's all because of me. Don't you see that all of this could end if I left you and Culbert County?" 

"Your leaving here would not change this situation," Malcolm said, "not for me or the twins. Why can't you see that? If you were to leave suddenly now without any explanation, Sheriff Jenkins would probably try to bring me up on charges of murder for you and the twins. Of course it wouldn't matter to him whether you were dead or alive, he would just welcome the opportunity to harass me and make my life a living hell so, get the idea of leaving here out of your mind."

"Why can't you see that you're wrong?!" Sabella screamed causing Serena to wake up and start crying. "See what you've made me do?" Sabella said going over and picking up the crying little girl. 

"You made me wake her up."

Malcolm was about to say something in response when the phone rung.

"I wonder who that could be calling this time of the night,"" Malcolm mumbled as he made his way over to the phone. "Hello?" he said gruffly.

"I'm sorry to disturb you this late at night, Malcolm," replied, the voice on the other end of the phone, "and I wouldn't be calling this late, but I have something that I think you should know."

"I'm sorry, Bob," Malcolm said, "it's been a long day, and I'm taking my frustration out on you. What is it, you wanted to tell me?"

"I think the Sheriff is watching your house," Bob said innocently.

That bit of news didn't surprise Malcolm, but the fact that Bob knew it did.

"How do you know he's watching my house?" Malcolm asked.

Afraid of losing his well paying job, Bob told Malcolm a half truth. Sheriff Jenkins had questioned him and the rest of Malcolm's ranch hands about the colored woman staying at the ranch. 

He hadn't told Malcolm about it so he used that information to explain why he knew about the Sheriff staking out his place, but he didn't tell him the part he played.

"He questioned me about that colored woman staying at your place," Bob said, "and he wanted to know if I ever met or seen anybody besides her at your place. And tonight when I was driving by your place, heading home, I saw him sitting in his police car about a mile down the road from your place staring in the direction of your ranch. Are you in some kind of trouble, Malcolm?"

"No, Bob," Malcolm replied. "The Sheriff and I are at a standoff over something. Thank you for calling and if the Sheriff asks you any more questions, please let me know."

"You got it," Bob said. "That'll teach that damn Sheriff to give me a ticket," Bob muttered to himself feeling smug about what he'd just done.

"Who was that?" Sabella asked.

"Bob Hendricks," Malcolm replied, "one of my ranch hands, he called to tell me that the Sheriff was sitting a mile down the road watching the ranch."

Hearing that the Sheriff was a mile down the road watching the house almost caused Sabella to drop Serena, as she collapsed onto the couch.

Malcolm rushed over to her and took Serena out of her arms and placed her back in her bassinet, grateful she'd gone back to sleep.

"Why is all of this happening?" Sabella asked bringing her hands up and running them through her hair. "Why was I brought back through time? It couldn't have been to bring all of this trouble down on you, I refuse to believe that. But, why am I here?"

"I think you were sent here for me, Solomon and Serena," Malcolm said. "God sent you here because he knew that the three of use needed you."

"That's a nice thought," Sabella said reaching out and gently stroking Malcolm's face thankful to him for trying to make her feel better.

"It's not just a thought, honey," Malcolm said reaching up and taking her hand from his face and taking it into his hand. "I really do think that you were sent back in time, to my ranch for me and the twins because we're meant to be a family."

"How is that going to happen, Malcolm?" Sabella asked. "Especially here in the south, where it's against the law for us to get married and where people would have no problem attacking us for walking down the street together and burn down your ranch, destroying everything you've worked so hard to build, how is God going to be behind this?"

"Okay," Malcolm said, "maybe God isn't behind it, but do me a favor, please?"

"What?"

"Have a little faith," Malcolm replied. "Just a little faith in me, that I can work this out and in the end the four of us, you, me, Solomon and Serena are going to be a family."

"I'm scared," Sabella said. "I couldn't stand if anything happened to you because you're trying to protect me."

"I promise you, I won't let anything happen to me," Malcolm said. "I just found you and I'm not going to say or do anything that'll come in between us. I want to spend many, many years loving you, having children and growing old with you."

"You sound as if you're proposing," Sabella teased.

Malcolm got up from the couch went over to a roll top desk that sat in the corner of the living room, opened it, reached in and opened a drawer and took out a small jewelry box, walked back over to the couch, opened the box and got down on one knee.

"I am proposing," he said. "My grandfather gave this ring to my grandmother when he asked her to marry him and when she died, she left the ring to me in her will, saying that she wanted me to give it to the woman that came into my life, and that I loved as much as my grandfather loved her. I was young when my grandmother died so I didn't think much of the ring when she gave it to me, but as I grew older and began dating, I realized how special the ring was and what a great gift she left me. Also, as I grew up, I thought about my, grandparents, relationship, and I realized that just how much they loved each other. My grandfather didn't think the sun got up until my grandmother opened her eyes, rolled over and gave him, his good morning kiss and when she died it took him a long time to come to terms with her not being in his life any longer. But, he came around saying that my grandmother would get out of her grave and cuss him out something fierce if he stopped living his life because she wasn't there, he said she wouldn't want him giving up on life because the good Lord decided it was time for her to come home."

"Your, grandmother sounds like a very special woman," Sabella said.

"She was," Malcolm replied, "she was a very special woman who taught me and showed me what real love is. So, will you marry me?"

"I don't think I can accept your proposal, Malcolm," Sabella said.

"Why not?" Malcolm asked.

"Suppose I wake up back in my time?" Sabella replied. "I wouldn't feel right hav..."

"Didn't you hear what I said?" Malcolm asked. "I said my grandmother told me to give the ring to the woman I love as much as my grandfather loved her. You are that woman, Sabella, so whether you accept my proposal or not the ring is yours, because I love you the same way my grandfather loved my grandmother. It only becomes an engagement ring if you accept my proposal, otherwise its just a reminder of me a man who loves you with all his heart."

Sabella seeing the sincerity in Malcolm's eyes and hearing it in the words he spoke and knowing that she felt the same way about him, gave the only answer she could give.

"Yes, I'll marry you," she said. "I'll spend many, many years loving you, talk about having children with you, and definitely grow old with you."

Malcolm's face broke out into the brightest smile Sabella had ever seen on anyone's face as he pulled her into his arms kissed her and hugged her tight.

"You've made me the happiest man in the world," he said, "and I'm going to do my best to make our years together the best life you could ever have."

Malcolm understood why Sabella said they would talk about having children. They were raising the twins, so having more children would be something they would have to talk about. 

He also knew that the harshness of the time and the way people of color and mixed raced children were treated would also would play a big part when it came to them deciding to have children. But, Malcolm wasn't worried about it, he knew that he and Sabella would have children, it was in their future.



Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 14



Sheriff Jenkins jerked himself awake looked around his surroundings and realized that he was in his car.

"Damn," he said out loud angry with himself for falling asleep and realizing that RaeLynn (Sabella) could've eased by him leaving town without him knowing it.

The Sheriff ran his hand over his face trying to push away the fog of sleepiness that still enveloped his brain.

Bringing his head forward he looked down the road towards Malcolm's ranch wondering if the object of his desire was still there. Jenkins knew that he could drive the mile down the road to Malcolm's ranch to see if his truck was still sitting in the driveway and before yesterday seeing that would've been enough to ease any fears he had about RaeLynn (Sabella) still being there. But it wasn't enough today, not after seeing her sitting behind the wheel of that strange contraption.

He thought about Malcolm and he smiled.

'What am I worried about?' he asked himself. 'Malcolm isn't going to let RaeLynn (Sabella) leave him or Culbert County.'

He laughed out loud realizing that he was worried over nothing. He had the best watchdog in the county keeping tabs on the object of his desire.

Sheriff Jenkins opened his car door and eased his morning tired body out of the car, raised his arms up, stretching out the kinks from having spent the night in said car. Then he walked around the other side of the car, unzipped his pants, pulled out his cock and began to relive himself on the ground, as he zipped his pants back up his radio went off.

"Sheriff, your Uncle is requesting your presence at his home," the dispatcher told him.

"Alright," the Sheriff replied, "I'm headed that way. That's where I'll be if you need me."

"Roger, over and out," the dispatcher replied.

Confident that his little bird hadn't flown the coop the Sheriff made his way over to his Uncle's house.

(((((((((((((((((((()))))))))))))))))))

Former court Judge Samuel James Wheats sat behind his desk, in his den, smoking a cigar listening to the citified private detective give him the same report that he'd received from every private detective he'd hired over the last thirty years.

"I'm sorry your Honor but that's all the information, I could get," the detective said. "If anyone knows what happened the night your wife died, they're either dead themselves, or they're not talking."

Judge Wheats thought this man stood a better chance of getting the information he wanted because he was colored.

He hoped the man's skin color would allow him to mingle with the local coloreds, listen to them talk and gather information about the fire that took his wife's life. But the local coloreds were being just as tight lipped as the local whites even after thirty years.

He knew that the information he wanted, was out there somewhere and that somebody besides the people who killed his wife knew who was involved that night, and he was determined to find out who was responsible no matter how long it took.

"Here's your money," Judge Wheats said placing a bundle of bills on his desk and pushing them towards the man. "I suggest you take the next bus out of town. I dislike failure and I hate paying for it even more."

The man didn't say anything he just took his fee, left the Judge's den and headed out the front door, where one of the locals was waiting to take him to the next town where he would take the next train back home.

Judge Wheats chuckled as he watched the man almost run to escape his presence. The man didn't have anything to worry about, at least not from him. He was saving his anger for the people who killed his wife.

He turned his chair around so that he was facing the portrait of his wife, Sarah Jane that hung over the fireplace mantel her face smiling face looking down at him.

He smiled when he remembered how he had to talk her into sitting for the portrait, how she thought it a pretentious thing to do. He finally got her to agree to sit for by telling her how happy it would make him to have a picture of her smiling at him even when she was angry with him hanging in his den.

That remark made her laugh, and she agreed to sit for it telling him if he kept making court decisions the way he did that it would really be the only way he would see her smile.

Who, knew that six months later that she would be taken away from him.

"You were right, Sarah Jane." Judge Wheats said looking up at the painting. "You always said that my actions would cost me something very dear to me, if I didn't change my ways. I just never expected it to cost me the thing I held dearest to my heart, you. But, I promise you Sarah Jane that I'm going to find out who took you away from me. I won't rest until I find out who robbed me of your presence in my life."

Judge Wheats imagined the disapproving look that would've appeared on his wife's face if she was actually in the room when he spoke his promise of revenge.

"Don't give me that look Sarah Jane," he said to the portrait. "I know you don't approve of revenge, but they must be made to pay. I know the people who did this is part of the Secret Brotherhood, but I'm not going after all of them. I only want the people who set the fire."

That was the only concession the Judge was willing to make, but even that had a time limit and time was running out. Pretty soon he would let the chips fall where they may and just like his Sarah Jane innocents would be caught in the crossfire.

(((((((((((((((((((()))))))))))))))))))))

Ed sat in his driveway resting his head against the steering wheel of his car dreading what he was about to do. Go, inside his house and break his daughter's heart and tell her that the thing she wanted most in the world wasn't going to happen. She and Malcolm weren't going to get married.

Slowly easing out of his car, Ed made his way into his house. Once he was inside, he heard Carolyn on the phone telling someone about her pending marriage to Malcolm. He heard her call the person she was talking to Peggy, knowing that she could only be talking to Peggy Mason the combination society and gossip columnist for the local paper. Ed rushed over, took the phone from Carolyn and put it up to his ear.

"Don't you print that, Peggy," Ed said his tone threatening. "If you do I'll sue the newspaper and you personally."

He then slammed the receiver of the phone back on to it's base.

"Why did you do that daddy?" Carolyn asked her father. "I want everyone to know that Malcolm and I are getting married, you know the best way to do that is to put it in the paper."

"There isn't going to be a wedding," her father said.

"What?" Carolyn replied looking at her father, as if he'd lost his mine. "What're you talking about? Of course there's going to be a wedding, putting the wedding announcement in the paper will ensure that the wedding happens. Malcolm wouldn't dare back out once it's in the paper, he'll be trapped. He'll have no choice but to marry me."

"There isn't going to be a wedding, Carolyn," her father stated again.

"Why do you keep saying that?" Carolyn said getting up from the couch where she was sitting. "Malcolm and I are getting married."

"No, you're not," her father said.

"Malcolm will either marry me, or he'll go to jail for raping me," Carolyn said.

"There...isn't...going...to...be...a...wedding!" Ed yelled slowly and succinctly, "Malcolm, and you will not be getting married."

Carolyn turned away from her father and made her way over to the telephone. She picked up the receiver and dialed Malcolm's number.

"Hello," Malcolm's cold and tense voice said into the phone.

"Has she left yet?" Carolyn asked her voice showing just a hint of shakiness.

"No, she hasn't left." Malcolm replied. "She's not going anywhere and I'm not marrying you and you better not call here again."

Malcolm hung up on her. Anger running through every vein of her body Carolyn hung up the phone, then she picked it up and was about to call the Sheriff when her father snatched the receiver from her hand and hung it up.

"Why did you do that?" Carolyn asked.

"To keep you from making a fool of yourself," her father replied.

"He raped me," Carolyn said.

Ed looked at his daughter, his eyes letting her know that he knew that she was lying.

"I'm not lying, daddy." Carolyn said using her best daddy, please believe me tone. "Malcolm raped me.'

"I saw you when you left the house yesterday morning," Ed said letting Carolyn know that jig was up. "I saw you come downstairs wearing a coat. I wondered why you were wearing it since it is July the height of summer. I also watched you go over to the bar and pour yourself a couple of shots of whiskey and chug them down. I wondered what you were up to, it all came together when Malcolm brought you home, and you jumped out his car wrapped in a sheet claiming that he raped you.

"That doesn't mean that Malcolm didn't rape me," Carolyn said.

"It means if he did have sex with you (which I doubt), that you got exactly what you went over there for and that isn't considered rape," her father said.

"I'm still going to call the Sheriff." Carolyn said picking up the phone once again. "It'll be his word against mine, and I know the Sheriff will believe me over Malcolm because he's been dying to get inside Malcolm's house so that he can his hand on his colored houseguest. My accusing Malcolm of rape will give him the leverage, he needs to accomplish that."

"The Sheriff isn't going to believe you," Ed said, "not when I tell him how you weren't dressed when you went over to Malcolm's house and what I saw you doing before you left the house."

"You wouldn't do that," Carolyn said the tone of her voice showing how shocked she was that her father would betray her.

"I'm not going to lie for you," her father said.

"You were willing to lie for me yesterday," Carolyn said. "You had no problem backing my lie up then. What happened to change your mind?"

"I came to my senses." Ed replied, "and I realized that blackmailing or forcing Malcolm to marry you wasn't a good thing to do to either of you. It's not a good way to start a marriage."

"Don't give me that shit!" Carolyn screamed.

What happened next shocked both father and daughter. As soon as the words were out of Carolyn's mouth the back of her father's hand went across her face, the force of the slap sending her crashing against the table where the phone sat, causing both Carolyn and the phone to land on the floor.

Tears started streaming down Carolyn's face and blood ran from the corner of her mouth. She looked up at her father the shocked look he wore replaced with anger.

"Don't you ever curse me again," her father said. "I don't care how angry you get at what I s what I do or how I act, you're never to curse me again. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, daddy," Carolyn replied rolling herself into a ball covering her head with her arms because as her father spoke spittle flew out his mouth. His voice grew louder, and she was afraid that he would hit her again.

"Now, get up and go to your room," Ed ordered. "And you'll stay there until I tell you to come down."

"Yes, father," was all Carolyn said as she got up and made her way upstairs to her bedroom.

(((((((((((((((((((((((()))))))))))))))))))))

"It's time for this thing to come to an end." Thomas said stomping back and forth across the Mayor's den. "I'm tired of this thing over our heads, like a two ton weight, waiting to come crashing down on all of us, and I'm tired of Malcolm holding the string that could bring it down on us."

Thomas' eyes flashed with anger. His huge hands were balled into fists, his face as red as a strawberry. His two hundred pound body seemed to grow bigger like a cartoon character the angrier he became. "I don't even see why I'm here. I had nothing to do with what the three of you, and Malcolm's father did. My brother was the one involved in it, and it ain't my fault that he's not here to accept the consequences of his actions."

"If you felt that way, why didn't you tell Judge Wheats when you found out about what we'd done when you found out twenty years ago?" Bart Samuelson asked.

Bart Samuelson, sixty-five years old, balding head of silver gray hair, weighs one hundred eighty pounds, stands five feet, eleven inches tall. He has a nice body and sun tanned skin from years of working on his ranch, his dark brown eyes staring at Thomas.

"How do you think the Judge is going to feel when he finds out you've known for the last twenty years who killed his wife, and you haven't told him. The man has been trying to track down information about who set the fire that killed Sarah Jane for the last thirty-odd years. I don't think he's going to be in a forgiving mood if he finds out you've been holding back that bit of information all of these years."

"I'm going to have to agree with Bart on this one," Richard (Slick) Davidson said adding his two cents on the matter.

Slick Davidson (as he still liked to be called) stands six feet tall, two hundred-ten pounds, a well built man whose body wasn't developed from working on his ranch the way his friends were (he felt that was what ranch hands were for). He maintained his body by working out on exercise equipment in his basement for hours on end. The tan he sported was from lying out in the sun beside his pool. Richard was a man who believed that physical labor was best left with those without the ability to pay someone else to do it for them, which he could do.

"Judge Wheats isn't going to believe you had nothing to do with his wife's death," Slick said running a hand through his dyed brown, wavy hair, his blue eyes laughing at the panic he saw in Thomas' eyes when thinking about his predicament.

"What was his wife doing at that house any ways?" Thomas asked, "A proper woman wouldn't be at a darkie's house that late at night and her husband wouldn't allow her to be there if he cared anything about her or her reputation."

"You must not remember Sarah Jane Wheats, that well," Slick said chuckling. "She was her own woman, nobody told her what to do, not even the Judge."

"Sarah was friends with the boy's mama." Bart replied. "She was sick, too sick to tend to her family. Sarah went over to help out. The judge dropped her off. He was supposed to pick her up later that night."

"Why didn't you wait until Sarah Jane was gone to set the fire?" Thomas asked. "You had to know that even the thought of his wife being hurt would piss off the Judge."

"We didn't know that she was in the house until after we set the fire and Judge Wheats drove up, jumped out of his car and started running up to the burning house calling her name," Slick said. "By the time we learned she was in there it was too late, everybody inside the house was dead. We wouldn't have set the fire if we'd known she was in the house."

"The judge would've died that night along with Sarah Jane if some of the people who came to help the boy's family hadn't held him back," the Mayor said. "He promised that whoever was responsible for Sarah Jane's death would pay, and he's been tracking down information about the fire and hiring private detectives since the day he made that promise."

"If he knows that someone involved in the Secret Brotherhood was responsible for the fire, why hasn't he taken his revenge against the whole group?" Thomas asked.

"The Judge doesn't operate like that," Mayor Jones said standing up and away from his desk, moving over to his big picture window. "He wants to be sure he gets the people actually involved in burning down the house."

"Whose bright idea was it to remove your hoods and take the picture?" Thomas asked.

"Malcolm's daddy," Bart said his voice and face showing how much he regretted taking the damn picture. "He left Malcolm in the car once the house really began to burn suggested we line up in front of the house and take the picture so that we would have proof to show the rest of the members that we were the ones who took care of those darkies."

"Malcolm found the picture when he went to clean out his father's safety deposit box at the bank," Samuelson said. "And he's been using it to keep us in line ever since."

"Is that the reason you and the Sheriff closed down your thriving used car business?" Bart asked the Mayor.

"Yeah," Mayor Jones replied. "He threatened to turn the picture over to the Judge if we took another car, so we had to stop."

"I bet the Sheriff wasn't happy about that," Thomas remarked. "the two of you made a lot of money reselling those cars and splitting the proceeds."

"It was my intention to turn this place into a big time cash cow," the Mayor said, "but Malcolm shut me down at every turn. That's why I'm agreeing with you. I think it's time we came up with a way to break the hold he has on us."

"How do you suggest we do that?" Bart asked.

"Fire worked once, it'll work again." Mayor Jones replied.

"I don't want to have anything to do with murdering anyone," Thomas said. "I do want to get Malcolm off our backs, but I'm not that desperate."

"What do you suggest we do then?" Slick asked.

"I'm not making any suggestions," Thomas told him. " I'm leaving right now because I want no part in this discussion."

Thomas passed Ed on his way from the Mayor's den to the front door. As he passed Ed noticed that his skin was as white as a sheet.

"What's gotten into Thomas?" Ed asked as he joined everyone in the Mayor's den.

"We're discussing how we're going to deal with Malcolm, and he didn't like the turn the conversation took," Slick replied.

"What're thinking of doing?" Ed asked.

"Setting Malcolm's place on fire," Mayor Jones replied, his voice cold and emotionless.

"What about the girl and the babies?" Ed asked his tone showing no hint of revulsion at the Mayor's suggestion.

"I want the girl," Sheriff Jenkins said walking into the room joining the men.

"You're going to have to be satisfied fucking Annabelle," his Uncle said. "Leaving that girl alive isn't an option. Malcolm might've told her about what we did and until Judge Wheats and his entire family dies out, we can't leave anyone alive that could become a threat to us the way Malcolm is."

Annabelle is a seventeen year old colored girl whom everyone in Culbert County knew that the Sheriff was forcing to have sex with him any time he wanted by threatening to lock her father up.

Annabelle couldn't allow that to happen because she loved her father and without the money, he brought in her family would struggle more than they already were, so she gave in and did as the Sheriff wanted.

Sheriff Jenkins was surprised that his Uncle knew about him having sex with Annabelle. He thought that he'd been very careful whenever, he and she met.

"Don't look so surprised Carl," the Mayor said smiling at his nephew. "Culbert County is too small to keep most things a secret. That's why whenever you do anything sneaky or against the law you have to be like a magician and give them something else to focus on while you're doing what you really want to do."

((((((((((((((((((((()))))))))))))))))))))))

'It's almost over.' Malcolm thought to himself as he laid in bed with Sabella at his side holding her in his arms. 'It's almost over."

A nightmare had awakened Malcolm at four that morning and made going back to sleep impossible. The thought of closing his eyes and the dream coming back to haunt him scared him.

Unable to go back to sleep, Malcolm eased out of the bed careful not to awaken Sabella. He left his bedroom and made his way over to Sabella's bedroom, went over to her nightstand, picked up her cell phone and pressed the number two button.

"Hello, Lil' Sis," Mark said answering his cell phone expecting to hear Sabella's voice on the other end.

"It's me," Malcolm said.

"Well, well," Mark said surprised to hear Malcolm's voice on the other end of the phone. "You finally got brave enough to use Sabella's phone."




Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 14



"Yeah," Malcolm replied. "I'm still amazed that I can talk to you on this thing."

"You should be amazed that you can talk to me," Mark told him, "because the average cell phone doesn't allow conversations through time."

"Are things ready on your end?" Malcolm asked deciding to get to the reason for his call.

"As ready as they can be," Mark replied. "I just hope things work out the way I hope."

"It has to," Malcolm said. "That can be the only logical explanation for the things you read about in the library and everything that's happening on my property."

"All the houses that were on your property have disappeared," Mark said. "It freaked my wife out so bad that she took our daughter and returned to Atlanta, but she promised not to tell anyone about what's happening here."

"Thank God," Malcolm said breathing a sigh of relief. "Has anyone else been asking questions?"

"I don't know what you did, but no one in Culbert County seems surprised or concerned about what's happening on your ranch," Malcolm said.

"You've got Mable and my new attorney to thank for that," Malcolm told him.

"Have you talked to Sabella about your plans for tonight?" Mark asked.

Malcolm held his breath and prepared to tell Mark his news.

"The only thing Sabella and I have talked about is getting married," Malcolm said rushing the words out of his mouth.

For a few seconds Malcolm heard nothing from Mark on the other end of the phone in reaction to what he'd said, and it worried him.

"You asked my sister to marry you?" Mark finally asked.

"Yes," Malcolm replied, "and she said yes."

Once again Mark went silent.

"Welcome, to the family," he said to Malcolm.

"Thanks," Malcolm replied, b a sigh of relief because he was worried about what Mark's reaction would be to, hearing that he wanted to marry his sister.

"Are you going to tell Sabella about tonight?" Mark asked.

"Do you think that I should?" Malcolm asked.

"I don't know." Mark replied, "but I have something I need to tell you that I found out reading an old newspaper. I found in the library. After you hear what I have to say you might decide to tell Sabella about tonight."

"What did you find out?" Malcolm asked tensing up at the sound of Mark's voice as he spoke.

What Mark told Malcolm made him want to get his gun and go on a killing spree.

"Those bastards!" he almost screamed his teeth clenched together.

"Calm down!" Mark demanded. "The last thing we need is for you to go off the handle and do something stupid. Now the newspaper reported that you, your guest, her assistant and the twins were nowhere to be found, so that means that everyone escaped the fire. It also says that the house burned down but the garage wasn't touched."

"I think Sheriff Jenkins might be responsible for them not burning down the garage," Malcolm said.

"Why would you think that?" Mark asked.

Malcolm told Mark about the Caroline showing up at his house nude, pretending to be drunk, him taking her home and then her accusing him of trying to rape her when they reached her father's ranch. He also told him about Caroling calling Sabella and telling her that she wanted her and the twins out of the house, and that if she didn't leave she would call the Sheriff and tell him that Malcolm raped her, meaning that Malcolm would go to jail and that Sabella and the twins would fall into the Sheriff's clutches. And who knows what would happen to her and the twins once they were in the Sheriff's custody.

"That bitch is psycho," Mark said.

"I nearly went a little psycho myself when I came home to find Sabella and the twins packed up, sitting in the driveway in that thing she calls her baby preparing to leave," Malcolm said.

"What?!" Mark said.

"Yes," Malcolm said. "Your sister had decided that she and the twins would be safer if they left Culbert County."

"How did you stop her?"

"I had Mabel park my truck in front of her tank, told her not to move it and ordered Sabella out of the damn thing." Malcolm replied. "While I was doing that Sheriff Jenkins drove up and demanded to know what Sabella was doing in that contraption and where she got it from."

"So, you think he spared the garage because he's hoping to get his hands on Sabella's Hummer," Mark remarked.

"Yes."

"That explains the rest of the story in the newspaper," Mark said.

"What does it say?" Malcolm asked.

"The paper states that you burned down your house and probably forced your houseguest, her assistant and the twins to go with you. The paper speculates that you did this because you're going to kill them later because they were possible witnesses to your attempt to rape Carolyn," Mark said reading the details of the story to Malcolm.

Malcolm once again became angry and filled with rage.

"I understand your anger." Mark said hearing Malcolm grunting and mumbling on the other end of the phone, "but because we know what they're planning to do, we're able use the information to our advantage. I need you to promise me that you're going to stick to the plan."

"I promise," Malcolm said.

"Malcolm."

"I have to go," Malcolm said up hearing Sabella calling his name.

"Okay," Mark told him. "We'll talk later."

Malcolm hung up the phone and made his way back to his bedroom. When he entered his room, he found Sabella about to get out of bed.

"Oh, no you don't," he said making his way over to the bed and pushing her back against it. "It's not time for us to be getting up yet."

"It must be," Sabella teased, "you weren't here when I woke up."

"I'm here now." Malcolm said kissing her on the lips.

"Yes, you are." Sabella said returning his kiss.

As Malcolm laid down beside Sabella, he eased his arms around her waist, pulling her against his chest. Sabella responded by nuzzling against his chest trying to get closer to him. As he tightened his hold on her and the warmth of her body moved through his body a sense of calm made its way through Malcolm's body, chasing away all the anger, he was feeling earlier. It helped him realize that Mark was right and that getting angry would be counter productive to what they planned on doing later that day and could possibly endanger Sabella, the twins and himself, all the people he was trying to keep safe.

Allowing the calmness he was feeling to take over his body, Malcolm was soon lulled off to sleep.

He had been asleep for about an hour when the sound of Mabel banging on the door of his bedroom calling his name snatched him out of his slumber. The banging also awakened Sabella.

"What's going on?" Sabella asked. Not recognizing Mabel's voice in her sleepy hazy state.

"It's Mabel." Malcolm said getting out of the bed rushing over to the door. "She probably thinks that you've left with the twins."

"You promised to leave her a note letting her know that we're sleeping in here with you." Sabella said jumping out of the bed, grabbing her robe and putting it on.

"I forgot." Malcolm said shrugging his shoulders.

"She's going to wring your neck." Sabella said laughing at the thought.

"You're not going to protect me?" Malcolm asked giving Sabella his best puppy dog face.

"You, my friend, are on your own," Sabella told him, standing to go over and comfort the twins who were now crying, frightened by the noise Mabel made as she continued to bang on the bedroom door.



Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 15



Do you smell that?" Malcolm asked suddenly waking, and sitting up in bed.

"Smell what?" Sabella asked sleepily turning over moving closer to him.

"Like there's something burning?"

"I don't think so," Sabella replied becoming a little more alert.

"Take a whiff of the air," Malcolm said inhaling deeply himself.

Sabella sat up and inhaled deeply. When she did the smell of something burning, and a slight whiff of smoke filled her nose. "Where's it coming from?" she asked covering her nose with her hand to keep the smell out.

"I don't know," Malcolm replied throwing the cover back, jumping out of bed, making his way over to his bedroom door. "You stay here with Solomon and Serena. I'm going downstairs to see if everything is okay."

"We're going with you," Sabella told him getting out of bed going over to the twin's bed and picking up Serena. "Come over here and pick up Solomon."

"I want you and the twins to stay up here," Malcolm said trying to take Serena out of Sabella's arms, "the three of you will be safer if you stay up here."

"It'll be better if we go with you," Sabella told Malcolm the tone of her voice letting him know that she was going with him no matter what he thought. "If there is a fire downstairs you won't have to waste time coming back up here to get us because we'll already be with you. If everything is alright the four of us will just come back upstairs and go back to bed."

Realizing Sabella had a point, Malcolm leaned over and picked Solomon up out of bed and they all headed downstairs.

As they reached the bottom of the stairs and seeing nothing wrong in the living room, they looked in the direction of the dining room, and both saw a light stream of smoke coming from the direction of the dining room.

Malcolm passed Solomon to Sabella and made his way towards the dining room. He reached the dining room and saw that the smoke was coming from the kitchen, rushing into the kitchen he was met by a wall of smoke when he pushed the door between the two rooms open.

Covering his nose and mouth, Malcolm moved through the kitchen to the back door, he opened the door and saw that the back porch was on fire. Hoping to douse the flames with water, he pushed the screen door trying to get out and put water on the fire, but he found that he couldn't open it, there was something blocking the door.

Malcolm was about to rip the screen from the door when a shot rang out. He immediately fell to the floor. After a few seconds, he tried to stand, another shot was fired.

"Who's out there!" Malcolm shouted.

Silence.

"Who's out there!" Malcolm shouted again.

Silence.

"Malcolm!" Sabella shouted from the living room.

The panic and fear Malcolm heard in her voice made him jump up from the floor and run into the living room.

"What's wrong?" Malcolm asked when he reached her.

"Look!" Sabella replied pointing towards the front door.

Malcolm looked and saw what frightened Sabella. Smoke.

"Let's get out of here," he said taking Solomon out of Sabella's arms, putting his free arm around her shoulders.

Sabella held Serena against her body as Malcolm guided them towards front door. He opened the front door and saw only the beginnings of a fire on the front porch. He tried to open the screen door to put out the fire, so that Sabella, the twins, and he could escape, but just like the back screen door; the front wouldn't open; something was blocking it.

He passed Solomon to Sabella and was about to rip the screen from the screen door when two figures stepped out of the darkness, Mayor Jones and Sheriff Jenkins onto the porch.

The three men didn't way anything for a few moments; they just stared at each other.

"Give me the pictures and the negatives, Malcolm," Mayor Jones said breaking the silence that hung in the air between the three men.

"They're not here," Malcolm said lying hoping for time to get Sabella, the twins and himself out of their perilous situation.

"Where are they?" Mayor Jones asked.

"I'm not going to tell you that," Malcolm replied. "Not until you get us out of here and allow Sabella and the twins to leave."

"You know I can't do that, Malcolm," the Mayor said, "not until I have those pictures and the negatives in my hands."

"Then it looks like we're at an impasse," Malcolm said.

"No," Mayor Jones said holding up one of his hands.

Malcolm and Sabella watched as someone in Klan dress walked out of the darkness, up to the house and lit a torch. That was when they realized that the Mayor, and the Sheriff weren't alone. The man standing behind them walked over and handed Mayor Jones the torch.

"That hood doesn't keep me from knowing who you are Ed," Malcolm said to the man looking down at his boots. "I know it's you under there."

Caroline's father reached up and removed the hood from his head and smirked at Malcolm.

"You might as well call out the rest of your crew," Malcolm said to the Mayor. "I know who they are."

"Come on out boys," Mayor Jones told the men.

Richard Thomas and Bart Samuelson joined the other men on the porch. Malcolm looked at all the men responsible for the deaths of his friend, his friend's family and Judge Wheats' wife Sarah standing on his porch.

"It looks as if you, your guest and those babies are going to die tonight," Mayor Jones said lowering the torch close to porch.

As he lowered the torch the smell of gasoline reached Malcolm's nose.

"You wouldn't dare," Malcolm said.

"I've done it once," Mayor Jones said a sickening smile on his face. "And I'll do it again if you don't give me those pictures."

"You're going to do it anyway aren't you?" Malcolm said looking the Mayor straight in the eyes. "Whether you get the pictures or not you intend to set this house on fire with us in it."

"I'm tired of this conversation," Mayor Jones said bringing the torch to the gasoline splashed on the porch. "This is your fault Malcolm," the Mayor said. "You have no one to blame for this but yourself."

"NO!!!!!!!!!!!" Sabella screamed as the gasoline ignited and the flames stampeded across the porch and the twins started screaming in her ear.

"NO!!!!!!!!!!!" Malcolm shouted sitting straight up in bed his breathing labored and his body covered with sweat.

"Malcolm are you alright?"

Malcolm turned to see Sabella sitting beside him in bed her eyes filled with worry. He reached over and pulled her into his arms glad to find out that the things he wand went through were all part of a horrible nightmare.

"Malcolm are you alright?" Sabella asked again resting her hand against his chest and frightened at how hard his heart was beating against under her fingertips.

"I'm fine," Malcolm assured her tightening his hold on her. "I just had a horrible nightmare."

"You want to tell me about it?" Sabella asked easing out of his embrace.

"No," Malcolm replied, "I never want to think about it ever again."

"Are you sure?" Sabella asked taking her hand and gently caressing the side of Malcolm's face. "It might help you go back to sleep if you talk about it."

"I'm sure," Malcolm replied his lips pressing gently against the palm of the hand Sabella used to caress his face.

Sabella cupped his face with both her hands and slowly bought his lips towards hers placing a gentle kiss on his lips. Malcolm slowly brought his arms up and wrapped them around Sabella's waist, deepening the kiss causing her to moan against his lips. A gasp fell from Sabella's lips when Malcolm's hand slowly caressed under her breast allowing his tongue to invade her mouth causing both of them to moan.

"You have the sweetest lips I've ever tasted," Malcolm said lying down on the bed bringing Sabella with him, her body on top of his. "I could kiss you all day and never need anything else to help me to survive."

"You say the most outrageous things," Sabella said resting her head on Malcolm's chest.

"I mean it," Malcolm said pressing his manhood against her core so that she could feel his body's reaction to her. "Do you feel what you do to me?"

Sabella gasped and closed her eyes as passion welled up from her core and coursed through her body like a fire moving through a drought ravaged forest. The gasp that fell from her lips and the way her head fell back and her body arched into Malcolm's body caused his passion to rise.

"That is the sexiest thing I've ever seen in my life," Malcolm said bringing his hand up placing it behind Sabella's long enticing neck. "I've got to have a taste," he said bringing her neck close to his mouth sticking his tongue out giving it a slow, sensuous lick on the side.

Sabella moaned as a shiver moved through her body like waves on the ocean.

"I want to see you do that again," Malcolm said his voice hot and husky against Sabella's neck as he stuck his tongue out and licked her it once again.

"MALCOLM!" Sabella screamed his tongue like a branding iron against her skin.

Malcolm changed their position so that his body was now on top of Sabella's.

"Do that for me one more time," Malcolm said.

"No," Sabella replied feeling a little defiant.

"Please," Malcolm said. "I want to see you do that one more time."

"I'm not going to do it," Sabella told him.

"I think I can make you do it at least one more time," Malcolm said.

"Malcolm," Sabella said her tone warning him.

"Please baby," Malcolm said placing a light kiss on the base of Sabella's neck, "just one more time. I love the way your body reacts to my kisses."

"We can't do this Malcolm," Sabella said. "What if Serena and Solomon wake up?"

"They won't wake up if we're both quiet," Malcolm said placing kisses on Sabella's neck as he moved up towards her lips. "You're not a screamer are you?"

"I...."

Malcolm closed off what Sabella was going to say by placing a searing kiss on her lips.

"Do you know how badly I want you?" he asked kissing her again. "Do you want me as bad as I want you, sweetness?"

"Yes," Sabella replied trying to concentrate on breathing and talking at the same time, which was difficult to do with the way her body was reacting to what Malcolm was doing to her body.

"Are you cold darlin?" Malcolm asked a hint of smugness in his voice as he rode the shiver that moved through Sabella's body when he once again kissed her on the neck.

Unable to speak Sabella shook her head no.

"If you're cold I can warm you up, sweetness," Malcolm said placing light kisses on Sabella's neck, moving down to her shoulders. As he neared the top of her breasts Sabella gasped.

"Do you like that sweetheart?" he asked his breath hot on her skin as his lips pressed against the tops of her breasts causing Sabella's body to arch towards his mouth.

"You're killing me, Malcolm," Sabella said her voice shaking as she spoke, pleading with him to put out the fire he was building inside of her.

"I don't want to kill you, sweetheart," Malcolm said kissing Sabella as his hand unbutton the first two buttons on her blouse one at a time. "I only want to please you. Am I pleasing you?" he asked moving down to the third, then the fourth button.

'What a question for him to ask,' Sabella thought to herself, her emotions torn between anger for the way he was torturing her and passion from the pleasure she was experiencing from that same torture. "We shouldn't be doing this, Malcolm," she told him. "We should..."

"Damn." All thought left Sabella's mind when she felt Malcolm's lips and hot moist tongue and light sucking pressure on her left nipple.

'When did he uncover my breasts?' she asked herself, her logical brain taking over for a split second just before she felt Malcolm's wicked tongue on the nipple of her right breast.

Sabella's body went stiff, and her hands shot up grasping the sides of Malcolm's face, and her mouth fell open in a silent scream when she felt Malcolm's teeth graze her right nipple.

'She's nipple sensitive,' Malcolm said to himself, mentally patting himself on the back, feeling sexually powerful knowing that he could draw such a passionate reaction from her with such a simple act.

"Malcolm what're you doing to me?" Sabella having never experienced the things Malcolm was doing to her body.

"I'm loving you baby," Malcolm replied tightening his hold on Sabella's body to still her, keeping her from dodging the hot kisses he was on her breasts, trying to cool some of the passion running through her veins. But what she wanted was the exact opposite of what Malcolm wanted. He wanted her burning with passion, hungry for his kisses, anxious to have him inside of her, just as anxious as he was to be inside of her. He wanted them to be of the same mind, on the same mission.

He had peeled her blouse off her body and was marveling at the beauty of her caramel colored skin. The silky, satiny, softness of it as it passed under his fingertips.

"You're so beautiful," Malcolm said his voice filled with awe and desire as he silently thanked God for bringing this beautiful woman into his life, as he leaned down and place a gentle kiss on her stomach.

"Malcolm!" Sabella said trying to keep her voice just above a whisper so that she wouldn't wake up the twins. "You're killing me."

"That isn't my intention," Malcolm told her making his way down her stomach to the place he wanted to explore the most on his fiancée's body. He was almost there when the real world came charging into their little paradise.

"Alright you two," Mabel said knocking on Malcolm's bedroom door, "breakfast is served and it's time for Serena's and Solomon's morning bottles."

At the sound of Mabel's voice and the frustrated look on Malcolm's face at her interruption Sabella had to clap her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing out loud.

"I love that woman like a mother," Malcolm said, resting his head up Sabella's stomach, "but she picks the most inopportune times to make her presence known."

"I'm waiting," Mabel said knocking on the door again.

"We'd better get up," Sabella said.

"We're coming," Malcolm told Mabel, tickling Sabella. "We'll be don in a few minutes."

"You two shoulda been up before now," Mabel remarked. "It's eight o'clock, almost half the morning is gone. I know those babies are wondering why they haven't been fed yet."

"We're coming Mabel," Malcolm said again.

"You do have a ranch to run," Mabel said.

"We'll be down in a few minutes," Malcolm said for the third time.

"Shoulda called me and let me know he wouldn't be up until late," Mabel mumbled as she walked away from the bedroom door. "I could be home lying in my bed instead of trying to keep breakfast warm. From now on I'm gonna call him and find out what time he's going to get out of bed."

"I think that Mabel might be a little upset with us," Sabella said pointing out the obvious.

"I think you might be right," Malcolm said chuckling, making his way back up the bed, resting his body on top of Sabella's. "I'll apologize to her when we go downstairs to eat breakfast."

"I'll apologize too," Sabella said, "and eat a double helping of everything for breakfast."

"We're going to finish this?" Malcolm asked changing their positions so that they were now lying on their sides holding Sabella in his arms.

"Yes," Sabella replied. "I want to finish this. I want you to make love to me."

Malcolm leaned down to kiss her on the lips, she stopped him by placing two fingers on his lips.

"If I let you kiss me; we'll be even later going downstairs to eat breakfast," Sabella pointed out to him. "Then we'll have to do more than apologize to Mabel to get on her good side."

Knowing that Sabella was right Malcolm gave her a peck on the nose, turned over onto his other side and got out of bed.

"I'll get myself and Solomon cleaned and dressed," he said making his way over to the crib were the twins were sleeping. "While you and Serena go to your room and take care of business. Then we'll meet in the hallway and go downstairs together."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Sabella said setting her clothes straight then going over to the crib and picking up Serena. "It's time for us ladies to prepare for our day young lady," Sabella said cradling the little girl in her arms.

Serena stretched, took her little fist and rubbed it across her face as if she was trying to wipe away the sleepiness still in her eyes.

"Are you still sleepy, sweetness?" Sabella cooed. "Well ma..., Au..., I'm sorry to wake you up but it's time for us to start our day."

Serena turned and looked up at Sabella, the look in her eyes seem to say that Sabella would pay for disturbing her sleep.

"Don't look at me like that young lady," Sabella said laughing at the baby girl. "You're not the only one who wanted to sleep in and couldn't."

"That's right," Malcolm said reaching down and picking up Solomon, who seemed to be listening to the conversation Sabella was having with his sister. "My future wife and I were about to rock boots when we were interrupted."

Malcolm's attempt at hip-hop slang caused Sabella to let out a big guffaw followed by a peal of laughter; she laughed so hard her whole body shook, and tears ran from her eyes, down her face. She was laughing so hard she had to put Serena back into her crib before she dropped her.

His question made Sabella howl with laughter causing the twins to startle and to start crying. Hearing the twins cry brought Mabel back upstairs to find out what was going on.

"/what is going on in there?" Mabel asked banging on the bedroom door. "What's wrong with Sabella?"

"Nothing is going on," Malcolm replied going over and opening the door, "and nothing is wrong with Sabella. I said something funny, and she is having a laughing fit."

"What did you say?" Mabel asked going over to the cribs where the twins were lying.

The thought of Malcolm repeating what he said to Mabel, explaining what it meant and the image of Mabel turning red and throwing him over her knee and tanning his bottom made Sabella laugh even harder.

"I don't think I'll repeat what I said," Malcolm told Mabel chuckling at the thought of how Mabel would react if he repeated what he'd said.

"We'd better get the twins downstairs," Mabel said picking up Serena, who appeared to be crying the hardest, "I'm sure they're more than ready for their morning bottle."

"I'm right behind you Mabel," Sabella said picking up Solomon and following Mabel out of Malcolm's bedroom deciding that the twins could be bathed and put on clean clothes after they'd had breakfast.

"Hey," Malcolm said stopping Sabella before she left his bedroom.

Sabella stopped, turned and looked at him.

Malcolm walked over to her, leaned down and kissed Sabella on the lips.

"I needed that to start my day off right," he said licking his lips as if he was drawing her taste into his mouth.

"Thank you," Sabella replied kissing him on the lips. "I needed that too."

(((((((((((((((()))))))))))))))

"Is everything ready?" Mayor Jones asked Sheriff Jenkins.

"Yes," Sheriff Jenkins replied his voice holding just a hint of anger. "Everything is ready."

"You can stop behaving like a spoiled brat whose been denied his favorite toy," Mayor Jones told his nephew. "The girl is going to suffer the same fate as Malcolm and those to little brats staying with him and there's nothing you can do about."

"But why?" Sheriff Jenkins asked. "There's no need for her to be killed."

"She can become a loose end," Mayor Jones said, "and I don't intend to leave any loose ends this time like I did the last time. I've lived for over twenty years with Malcolm being a threat to me. He didn't threaten me all the time just when he thought I was what he called "abusing my authority." I didn't become Mayor of this godforsaken town to make things better for the people who voted for me; I became Mayor to make things better for me. Malcolm got in the way of my plans the first time. I won't risk it happening again by allowing that girl to live because you are anxious to scratch an itch. So the girl will be dealt with the same way, and at the same time that we deal with Malcolm."




Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 15



"She's not a threat," Sheriff Jenkins said his voice pleading for his Uncle to listen to him. "Besides, who is she going to tell and who would believe her?"

"You're not listening to me, Carl," Mayor Jones said the tone of his voice letting his nephew know that he was tired of this conversation. "I'm not willing to take the chance that she'll become one."

"Suppose I take her up to your cabin in the mountains?" the Sheriff asked his Uncle. "I could take her up there, tie her to bed or take her up there and leave her with no clothes or shoes to wear. I could take her up there tie her to the bed and take her clothes and shoes. She'd be helpless and nobody would help her, because no one would know she was up there. That would solve everything and she would no longer be a threat to you."

His frustration with his nephew rising and tired of arguing with him Mayor Jones ran a hand through his grey hair and turned away from his nephew.

"What do you think unc?" the Sheriff asked. "Don't you think that would be a good idea.

Mayor Jones turned around and slapped Sheriff Jenkins so hard he crashed down onto the floor.

"Now you listen to me you asshole," Mayor Jones said standing over the Sheriff. "You're going to stop thinking with your dick and do as you're told. The girl, Malcolm and those brats are about to become the victims of a house fire, cause unknown. Now get off your ass and go make sure that everything is prepared for tonight and there will be no more talk of sparing that the colored woman. Have I made myself clear?!"

"Yes sir," Sheriff Jenkins replied as he got up off the floor and headed to the front door of his Uncle's house.

"Carl," Mayor Jones said the coldness in his voice causing the Sheriff to stop dead in his tracks.

"Yeah," Sheriff Jenkins said his back to his Uncle.

"Turn around, I want you facing me when I say what I have to say," Mayor Jones said.

Sheriff Jenkins slowly turned and faced his Uncle.

"The fact that you're family won't keep me from making sure you don't become a problem to me," Mayor Jones said staring unflinchingly at his nephew. "Do you understand what I'm saying to you Carl?"

The coldness filling his Uncle's eyes translated the meaning of his Uncle's words very clearly to Carl. He was letting Carl know that he would deal with him the same way he was about to deal with Malcolm and the other people in his house if he got too big for his britches, and he wouldn't have a problem doing it.

"I understand what you're saying," Sheriff Jenkins assured his Uncle. "You don't have to worry about me. I'm not now nor will I ever become a problem to you."

The Sheriff turned and left his Uncle's house the Mayor watching him as he made his way to the front door.

'I'm going to keep my eye on that fool,' Mayor Jones told himself.

(((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))

At six-thirty in the evening Mabel was gathering her things preparing to go home when Malcolm came into the kitchen.

"You ready to go?" Malcolm asked.

"Yep," Mabel replied picking up her purse and hanging it on her wrist.

"Can you spare a moment before you go?" Malcolm asked. "I would like to talk to you."

"Sure," Mabel replied pulling out a chair from the breakfast table and sitting down. "What do you want to talk about?"

"I've asked Sabella to marry me," Malcolm said a big smile on his face. "She said yes."

"I know," Mabel said smiling back at Malcolm her eye starting to water. "I saw your grandmother's ring on her finger. I'm so happy for the both of you."

"Thank you," Malcolm said his smile disappearing, his eyes turning sad because he was about to do something that made him sick to his stomach. He was about to tell Mabel a lie. "You know that Sabella and I can't legally get married here."

"Yeah, I know," Mabel said a sadness coming over her too.

"Sabella, me and the twins will be leaving here early tomorrow morning," Malcolm said. "We're going to fly to California and get married there."

"You're not flying together are you?" Mabel asked worry and panic filling her voice.

"No," Malcolm replied, "we're taking the same plane, but we'll be sitting in different seats. We're not riding to the airport together either. Frank is going to smuggle Sabella and the twins out of town later tonight avoiding the Sheriff."

"Are you gonna drive yourself to the airport?" Mabel asked.

"Yes," Malcolm replied.

"What about Sabella truck?" Mabel asked calling Sabella's Hummer a truck because she couldn't think of anything else to call it.

"A friend of mine is coming by tonight with an eighteen-wheeler," Malcolm said. "He's going to truck Sabella's baby to California for us."

"Aren't you worried about the questions he's bound to ask when he sees that thing?" Mabel asked.

"He's a very good friend," Malcolm said. "If I ask him to do it and forget about it, he'll do it."

"I'm going to miss all of you," Mabel said wiping away the tears that had begun to fall from her eyes. "But I understand why you're doing it. You love Sabella, and you want her to be your wife and to accomplish that the two of you have to go somewhere where you can legally marry her. I want you to promise me that you're going to take care of Sabella and those precious babies. Because if you don't and I hear about it, I'll come to California, help Sabella leave you and tan your hide before I go."

"I promise," Malcolm said laughing then going over to Mabel, pulling her up from the chair, into his arms giving her a hug. "I have something that I want you to have."

Malcolm reached into the back pocket of his jeans and pulled out a folded piece of paper and held it out to Mabel.

"You've already paid me," Mabel said recognizing the piece of paper Malcolm held out to her as a check.

"I know that, I've already paid you," Malcolm said. "This is something I'm giving you so that you, and Ray can take that vacation you've always wanted to take."

Mabel took the check from Malcolm and unfolded it. When she saw how much the check was made out for she almost fainted. She dropped the check and it fell onto the table.

"I can't accept that from you," she told Malcolm moving away from the table as if the check was going to attack her.

"Yes, you can," Malcolm told her picking the check up from the table and placing it back into her hand. "I want you to have this money.

"But it's too much," Mabel said trying to pull her hand out of Malcolm's grasp.

"It's not too much," Malcolm said refusing to let go of her hand until she took the check.

"Ray and I don't need that much money to take a vacation," Mable told him.

"I know that woman," Malcolm replied. "The rest of the money is so that you and Ray can retire and take it easy."

"That isn't your responsibility," Mabel said.

"No, it isn't," Malcolm said agreeing with the woman he'd come to love like a mother. "This is my gift to you for taking such good care of me over the years, a way for me to show my appreciation and love for you. The way I would've done for my mother if she were still alive."

"Twenty thousand dollars is a lot of money," Mabel said taking the check from Malcolm.

"It isn't enough for all the things you've done for me over the years and when my mother died," Malcolm said. "And when I came back to town after my father died. Now stop arguing with me and take the da... take the check."

Mabel took the check, made Malcolm promise to call or write her when he, Sabella and the twins found a place to settle in California, so that she could stay in touch with them. She then gathered her things up once again, gave Malcolm a kiss on the cheek and headed home.

"How did it go?" Sabella asked joining Malcolm in the kitchen after Mabel came into the living room, gave her and the twins kisses on the cheek, said that she would miss her and the twins and then made her way out of the front door.

"Just the way I expected it to," Malcolm replied. "She fought me, but when she realized that I wasn't going to let her leave here without that check she accepted it."

"You're a very generous man," Sabella said putting her arms around Malcolm's waist.

"She deserves it," Malcolm said hugging his future wife.

"You're giving up a lot to marry me," Sabella said tightening her hold on her future husband.

She never dreamed she would meet a man willing to give up the only life; he's known to start a new one with her. Of course if they were in her time it might not have been something he would be required to do. Not because it was illegal for them to be together at least. If they were in her time they would've been able to stay in Texas if they wished to.

"Malcolm are you sure you want to do th..."

"Are the twins ready?" Malcolm asked preventing Sabella from asking the question she'd already asked him at least three times that day. "You promised to show me some of the DVDs you have in that tank in my garage."

"My baby isn't a tank," Sabella said not liking Malcolm calling her Hummer a tank. "It's a Hummer and I've changed my mind, I'm not going to show you anything," Sabella said folding her arms under her breasts.

"Come on," Malcolm said giving Sabella a sad puppy-dog look, "I wasn't intentionally trying to insult your baby. Besides you can't change your mind; you can't call off our first date."

'The sneak,' Sabella said to herself at the way Malcolm was trying to manipulate her. However, she wouldn't give in. "I'm sure you wouldn't be interested in sitting in a tank," Sabella said giving Malcolm her back.

"Are you kidding?" Malcolm replied turning her around so that she was facing him. "Do you really think I would miss the opportunity to see the workings of a car from the future? You have to know me better than that."

Sabella couldn't contained the laughter that spilled from her mouth as Malcolm pulled her out of the kitchen, into the living room where they gathered up Solomon, Serena to go upstairs and get their baby supplies so that they could head out to the garage.

  (((((((((((((((())))))))))))))

Thomas Swain sat in Judge Wheats' den as he stood behind his bar making scotch on the rocks for the both of them. The look the Judge was giving him made Thomas nervous. He began to feel that coming to see the Judge might've been a big mistake.

Thomas flipped, flopped back and forth for two days before finally making up his mind to come and see the Judge. He told himself that he was doing it to save those little babies. To keep them from becoming another victim of the Mayor and the others. He wasn't there to get on the Judge's good side.

Besides covering his butt is what any man in his situation would do. Thomas prided himself on his ability to put himself in other people's shoes to try to figure what they would do. He figured if he was in Malcolm's shoes that he would give a copy of the picture to someone else, giving them instructions to turn the pictures over to the Judge if he died from anything other than disease or natural causes.

So, Thomas decided that going to the Judge and telling him about the information he found after his brother died, and about the pictures, Malcolm's father had taken the night of the fire, that Malcolm now had in his possession would put him in good with the Judge. And if the Judge became grateful to him for providing the information he'd been seeking for so many years and decided that he was entitled to the reward he was offering, that would be a good side-effect and keep him alive.

"Why are you here Thomas?" Judge Wheats asked passing a drink to the nervous man sitting on his couch then taking a seat behind his desk in his den.

"I just found out something I think you should know," Thomas said after taking a sip of his drink. "I think I know the people responsible for the fire that killed your wife, that boy and his family."

Judge Wheats was about to take a sip of his drink when Thomas' words reached his ears. The glass was up to his lips, the liquid inside was almost touching his lips when he froze in mid-step. He slowly removed the rim of the glass from between his lip, then he lowered the hand holding the glass.

"Who are they?" Judge Wheats asked his cold eyes trained on Thomas, his hand squeezing the glass of scotch he was holding.

"It was my brother," Thomas said deciding to get the worst part of the information for him out of the way, "Malcolm's father, Slick, Mayor Jones, Ed and Bart."

The glass Judge Wheats was holding shattered, cutting his hand causing a mixture of scotch and blood to cover his hand, as the pieces of glass fell to the floor.

"How and when did you find out?" Judge Wheats asked Thomas.

"Your hand is bleeding Judge," Thomas said pointing to the Judge's bleeding right hand.

"When did you find out?!" Judge Wheats screamed demanding an answer to his question.

"A month ago," Thomas replied falling back against the couch, too afraid to tell the Judge the truth that he'd known about what his brother did for more than twenty years.

"Why are you just coming to me with this information?" Judge Wheats asked slowly turning his head to face Thomas. "You know I've been desperate to know who was responsible for my wife's death for over thirty years."

"I was shocked to find out my brother was involved in something so terrible," Thomas said still staring at the Judge's bloody hand not realizing that the Judge had opened up the center drawer of his desk and was slowly easing out a forty-five pistol. "I didn't know how I was going to deal with it. I was torn between telling you and protecting my family's name and reputation."

"Your family's name and reputation were more important to you than seeing that the men responsible for Sarah Jane's death were brought to justice and made to pay for what they'd done?" Judge Wheats asked easing the gun further out of the drawer, lowering it down on to his lap as he eased the drawer closed.

"I didn't think about that," Thomas said angry with the Judge for not understanding his situation when he found out what his brother had done, his eyes still trained on the Judge's bleeding hand.

He was concentrating so hard on the hand becoming sick at the sight of scotch and blood that was dripping down on the Judge's desk he didn't realize he'd swayed from the story he was going to tell the Judge. He didn't realize that he was now telling the truth. "I realized I had to tell you when Mayor Jones decided that Malcolm had to die because he was tired of him blackmailing him."

"Malcolm knows what his father did?" Judge Wheats asked placing the gun onto his lap. "How did he find out."

"Malcolm's father was trying to teach him a lesson about disobeying him when the fire happened," Thomas said still staring at the Judge's hand wondering why the man didn't do something about it, at least stop the bleeding. "His father burned the boy's house down because he wouldn't stop sneaking over to play with him."

"My wife was killed because Malcolm's father wanted to teach him a lesson!" Judge Wheats said his voice tense, tight and filled with anger.

"He found the pictures taken by his father of the Mayor, my brother, Ed, Bart and Slick, standing in front of the burning house when he cleaned out his father's safety deposit box," Thomas said.

"You said that the Mayor plans on killing Malcolm," Judge Wheats said slowly bringing the gun up as he spoke. "When does he plan on doing it?"

"Tonight," Malcolm replied.

(((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))

It was about eight thirty after giving the twins a bath and packing a bag of baby supplies and bottles when Malcolm, Sabella and the twins made their way out to the garage.

Malcolm was anxious to see these DVDs that Sabella spoke of. He found just the thought of DVDs to be amazing. A digital video disc. Sabella said that it meant that the movies were digitally place on the small round discs.

Unable to clearly explain how DVDs were created or how they did what they did Sabella went on to the internet and found a video that explained it a lot better than she could and let it tell Malcolm all about DVDs.

"Amazing," Malcolm said after watching the video.

The Internet also amazed Malcolm. Sabella told him it was called the information highway because it could be used to find out about almost anything a person could think of. Sabella explained to him that the Internet was actually a network of millions of Web sites that could be viewed by anyone with an Internet connection any time of the day or night. She told him that almost every business no matter how large or small it was found that having a Web site was a necessity if they wanted to stay in business, because it allowed their customers to make purchases or conduct business twenty-four hours a day without having to have actual personnel. She also told Malcolm that although she didn't think it was suppose to cross time eras the internet was the reason she and Mark were still able to communicate with each other.

Malcolm was amazed as he listened to Sabella tell him all the things that could be done on the internet. He couldn't believe that everything he was telling her would be created over the next fifty years or less.

"Are you ready?" Sabella asked bringing him out of his thoughts.

"I'm ready," Malcolm replied. "Lets go see these so-called marvels of technology you've been going on about."

"Follow me," Sabella told him, carrying Solomon in her arms, she headed out to the garage.

With Serena in his arms, Malcolm followed Sabella. He watched her point the fob on her keychain at the huge tank like vehicle she called her baby. The small bird-like chirp he heard signaling that the car had been unlocked almost made him laugh out loud. The small sound coming from something so huge just didn't seem to fit.

Sabella opened the front passenger door, she then flipped a switch that opened the back passenger door so that Malcolm could place Serena in the passenger-side back seat, while she placed Solomon on the driver's side passenger seat. Both she and Malcolm place blankets on the backseats before putting their little charges on the seats.

After making sure the twins were comfortable and safely in the car, Sabella and Malcolm climbed into the front seats of the Hummer.

"This is where I keep my favorite DVDs," she told Malcolm opening up the front console where there was a rack for about four or five DVDs or CDs "I keep them in here in case I get the urge to see on of them."

Sabella held up her copy of Disney's Snow White; she opened up the case and held the DVD up for Malcolm to see.

"You've got to be kidding me," Malcolm said as he took the DVD from Sabella's hand marveling at how small the disc was. "This little thing has a whole movie on it?"

"Yes, it does," Sabella replied laughing at his reaction.

"I don't believe you," Malcolm said looking at the graphics on the DVD running his hand over the picture of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. "It's so small, too small to hold an almost ninety minute movie."

"That small disc can hold a two movie plus more," Sabella told him.

"What does digitally remastered mean?" Malcolm asked.

"It means that the picture and sound qualities have been improved and brought up to 2010 quality using modern technology," Sabella told him.

"I remember when this movie came out," Malcolm said a smile appearing on his face as he relived the memory. "I remember sitting in the theatre with my mother, as the movie started and thinking that it was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen. My mother told me I could have as much popcorn as I wanted that day, I ate so much it made me sick."

Then a look a sadness appeared on Malcolm's face.

"My friend went with my mother and me that day," he said his eyes tearing up a little. "We wanted to sit together, but the owner of the theatre wouldn't allow it. He said his white customer wouldn't be comfortable sitting next to a colored boy, and colored people had their own place to sit in the balcony."




Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 15



"I have other DVDs we can watch," Sabella said her heart going out to Malcolm.

"I want to see this one," Malcolm said giving Sabella back the Snow White DVD. "It'll be the first movie you, me and the twins will see together. And when I think about the movie now I'll still think of the memory with my friend, but I'll also have the memory of seeing it with you, my wife, Serena, my daughter, and Solomon, my son."

"You're going to make me cry," Sabella told him wiping a tear from her right eye.

"I love you," Malcolm told her leaning over and placing a kiss on Sabella's lips.

"I love you too," Sabella replied meeting him halfway and leaning into the kiss.

"We better get the movie started," Malcolm said looking down at his watch and seeing that it was fifteen, "I wouldn't want to keep you out pass your curfew and you and have some unfinished business to attend to when we turn in tonight."

Sabella laughed, reached up and pulled down the overhead screen, inserted the DVD, showed Malcolm how to adjust his chair so that it reclined. She then did the same to her chair, then they both sat back and enjoyed the movie.

(((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))

Mayor Jones looked at his watch and saw that it was nine forty-five. He was standing outside by his truck waiting for Ed, Bart and Slick to arrive. He hoped they wouldn't be late because after they took care of Malcolm, and his house guests, he had one more loose end he had to tie up before he would be satisfied that this thing would be over. Mayor Jones breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the rest of the men's trucks pulling up in his driveway.

"Is Thomas coming?" Ed asked as he exited his truck.

"No," Mayor Jones replied. "I called him and he said he meant when he said he wanted nothing to do with tonight."

"Do you think he'll tell anybody we're the ones who set Malcolm's house on fire?" Bart asked.

"I wouldn't worry about Thomas telling anybody, anything," Mayor Jones replied, a hint of anger in his voice. "The only thing we have to worry about tonight is Malcolm catching us starting the fire, and I've got something to handle that if he does," Mayor Jones said eyeing the shotgun hanging on a gun rack in his truck.

"I suggest we get this show on the road gentlemen," Slick said a slick smile on his face, arching his eyebrows, "I've got a date tonight, and I don't want to keep the young lady waiting."

"Sally's going to catch you picking cotton where you shouldn't, and she's going to leave you and take everything you've got with her."

"She has to catch me first," Slick said his voice confident, his stance self-assured.

"Are you sure we don't have to worry about Thomas telling anyone we're the ones who set Malcolm's house on fire?" Bart asked needing more reassurances that Thomas wouldn't betray them."

"No one will believe him if he says anything about it," Mayor Jones said.

"Why not?" Ed asked.

"Because there will be four upstanding citizens who will tell the police that he was the one who started the fire," Mayor Jones said smiling at the three men.

A smile appeared on everyone else's face as they caught on to what the Mayor was saying.

"Would we be those four upstanding citizens?" Ed asked pointing to the other men then himself.

"Yes, we would be," Mayor Jones said. "We'll solve two problems with one fire tonight. We take care of Malcolm, and Thomas is arrested for causing the fire, eliminating the need for any kind of investigation, of the fire."

Ed, Bart and Slick shook Mayor Jones hand congratulating him on his plan.

"We'd better do as Slick suggested and get a move on," Mayor Jones said, "it's getting late."

"I think we should only take two trucks," Bart said. "There's no way in hell I'm climbing onto the back of your truck Mayor, and we'll take my truck too."

Ed grabbed his gun out of his truck then he and Mayor Jones climbed into the Mayor's truck, Slick grabbed his gun out of his truck then he and Bart climbed into Bart's truck and they all drove over to Malcolm's house to carry out their deadly, murderous plan.

"Did you ask us to bring our guns because you didn't think we would be able to lift the big rocks we would need to block the doors?" Ed asked Mayor Jones as he pulled out of his driveway.

"Yep," the Mayor replied. "We need to be prepared to deal with them if they try to escape the fire."

Ed didn't want to do what they were about to do because Malcolm's father had been the closest he'd ever come to having a brother. Out of all the men in the Secret Brotherhood he and Malcolm's father had been the closest. They were so close that when Malcolm was born, Malcolm's father asked him to be the boy's godfather and when Carolyn was born two years later Ed asked Malcolm's father to be her godfather and he agreed.

As their children grew up the two father talked about how wonderful it would be if their children were to get married. Malcolm's father said that his son marrying Carolyn and becoming a member of the Secret Brotherhood would make him the proudest man in Texas. Malcolm's wouldn't have to go through the usual steps one would have to take to become a member of the Brotherhood because he would practically be assured a membership because his father was already a member making him a legacy.

But neither of the men's dreams were meant to be because Malcolm didn't share his father's opinion about the white race being the most superior race God ever created. The race meant to rule over the other races of the world. The race that should be kept pure and not mixed with the inferior races of the world. So he fought all his father's efforts to force or browbeat him into joining the Secret Brotherhood.

And Malcolm never showed any interest in dating Carolyn. He wouldn't even consider going out with her. Even when Ed and Malcolm's father tried to set them up on dates Malcolm would refuse to take Carolyn out. Ed became angry when he thought of all the tears his daughter cried because of Malcolm's rejection.

Ed became so angry he went over to Malcolm's house and demanded to know why he wouldn't date Carolyn. He wanted to knock the shit out of him when Malcolm said that he didn't want to date Carolyn because she was a spoiled, snobbish, bigot that he didn't think he could stand to spend any time with.

The fact that everything Malcolm said about his daughter was true did nothing to ease the anger flowing through Ed's veins.

Carolyn wasn't spoiled; she was just used to getting what she wanted, and she wasn't snobbish; she just thought that people of different social status shouldn't mix or cross social lines. She wasn't self-centered either; she just knew that she was beautiful, and she wasn't a bigot either; Carolyn was just proud of her racial heritage and agreed with her father that the white race should be kept pure no matter what it took to keep that way.

"Are you going to be alright doing this?" Mayor Jones asked Ed. "Malcolm is your godson."

"He stopped being my godson and I was no longer his godfather when he rejected my daughter," Ed replied. "I'll have no problem seeing that he gets what he deserves."

"I'm glad to hear that," Mayor Jones said breathing a silent sigh of relief. "I was worried about you."

"You have no call to worry about me," Ed assured told him.

The rest of their drive to Malcolm's house was silent both men thinking of what they were about to do.

(((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))

Sheriff Jenkins looked at his watch it was nine fifty. He was parked a mile down the road from Malcolm's house awaiting the arrival of his Uncle and the others. His Uncle ordered him to be there an hour before they arrived so that he could keep an eye on the house and make sure Malcolm and the others didn't leave the house. He thought Malcolm, Sabella and the brats were going to leave the house when he saw them coming out of the house carrying brown bags and baby bags. He relaxed when he saw them going into the garage instead of Malcolm's truck that was parked in the driveway. He watched the garage waiting for them to exit.

After waiting ten minutes and they still hadn't come out the Sheriff slowly, silently made his way up to the garage. As he came closer to the garage he saw that the side door was slightly ajar. Sheriff Jenkins eased the door open and saw the strangest vehicle he'd ever seen parked there.

"What the hell is that?" Sheriff Jenkins asked out loud his voice just above a whisper his mouth gaping opened as he stared at the tank-like contraption.

The Sheriff saw the door open on the passenger side of the contraption and managed to jump away from the door and hide before Malcolm could see him.

He watched as Malcolm went back inside of the house and came back out a few minutes later carrying something in his hands. Sheriff Jenkins made his way back up to the garage trying to figure out a way that he could eavesdrop on Malcolm and Sabella and find out what was going on. However, he couldn't think of a way of accomplishing that goal.

He was about to go in and order Malcolm and Sabella out of the strange contraption they were sitting in when he realized that them being inside the garage would be a perfect way for him to get what he wanted. Which was Sabella.

He decided that Malcolm, Sabella and the brats being in the garage would be the perfect way to fool his Uncle. His Uncle would think that they all were trapped inside the burning house, and he would hang around until the house was fully engulfed, and then he would leave.

When his Uncle left the scene to establish his alibi, the Sheriff decided he would shoot Malcolm, leave the brats in the contraption, and he would then kidnap Sabella and sneak her up to his Uncle's cabin without anyone finding out.

"I'm going to need your cabin after all, Uncle," Sheriff Jenkins said to himself thinking of all the things he would need to get after he took Sabella to his Uncle's cabin.

Still anxious to find out what was going on and not wanting his quarry to try to sneak out of town Sheriff Jenkins decided he would stay close to the garage until it was time for his Uncle's arrival.

(((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))

The Sheriff made it back to his car just as his Uncle's truck turned the curve that led to Malcolm's house. He began straightening up his clothes, wiping the sweat off his face and tried to control his breathing that he could appear as if nothing was wrong and his Uncle wouldn't become suspicious of him.

Mayor Jones drove slowly up to the sheriff's car hoping his idiot of a nephew had done as he'd been told and simply watched Malcolm's house and didn't try to figure out a way to save that nigger woman.

As he got out of his truck and approached his nephew he couldn't help but notice the stupid smile he tried to keep off his face.

'He's up to something,' Mayor Jones said to himself. The Mayor knew that only one thing could put a smile that big on the Sheriff's face. Malcolm, the woman and the brats were no longer in the house. 'I'm going to have to kill this fool.'

"Are they still in the house?" Mayor Jones asked the Sheriff.

"Yes," Sheriff Jenkins replied, the tone of his voice becoming snappy at the thought of his Uncle killing Sabella.

"Don't give me none of your attitude," Mayor Jones said getting in the Sheriff's face. The snappiness in the Sheriff's voice letting him know that the woman was still in the house.

Sheriff Jenkins moved away from his Uncle to his car, opened up the driver's side door and plopped down inside, his bottom lip sticking out in a pout like a little spoiled brat being denied something he wanted so badly.

"What's his problem?" Ed asked the Mayor looking over at the Sheriff.

"He's thinking with his dick," the Mayor replied disgusted with the way his nephew was acting over a colored woman. "Let's get this thing over with."

The men gathered everything they would need to do their deadly deed and quietly made their way up to Malcolm's house.

Once there Ed, Bart and Slick doused the front porch, the side and the back of the house with gasoline. After they were done and in an effort to make sure the house would burn the Mayor took gasoline soaked rags and jammed them against the front and back doors. Not wanting to set the fire himself he told Bart to go get the Sheriff.

The Sheriff walked up to his Uncle a worried expression on his face. The smile on the man's face told him that he was up to something and whatever it was involved him.

"I want you to do something for me," his Uncle said taking a match and lighting a Molotov cocktail he was holding in his hand.

"What do you want me to do?" the Sheriff asked swallowing the lump that was developing in his throat.

"I want you to have the honor of setting the fire," Mayor Jones replied.

"Why?" Sheriff Jenkins asked moving away from his Uncle.

"It's my way of making sure you don't get any ideas about turning us in," the Mayor said. "If you do we'll have to let everyone know that you're the one who started the fire.

"I can't do that," Sheriff Jenkins said.

Mayor Jones pulled out a handgun from a holster inside his jacket, brought it up, walked over and placed it against his nephew's head. "You'll either set the fire or join Malcolm and his guests. The choice is yours."

"But Uncle..."

"What's it going to be Carl?" Mayor Jones asked cocking the trigger of the gun.

Sheriff Jenkins took the Molotov cocktail from his Uncle's hand and threw it towards Malcolm's front door.

(((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))

Malcolm was watching the movie holding the hand of a sleeping Sabella when the smell of smoke reached his nose. He looked out the window of the Hummer and saw smoke seeping from under the garage door. The smoke reached Sabella's nose causing her to cough and wake up.

"What's going on?" she asked trying to wave away the smoke from her face with her hand.

As she spoke she looked around the garage and saw the smoke coming from beneath the garage door.

She was about to scream when Malcolm clasped his hand over her mouth, then he placed a finger against his lips signaling for her to be quiet.

"I heard voices outside," he whispered. "I'm going to get out and see if I can find out what's going on."

Sabella nodded her head.

Malcolm eased out of the passenger door of the Hummer and made his way over to look out of the side door window. He peeked out of the window and saw Sheriff Jenkins standing next to the door orange and red colors dancing off his body. He looked in the direction that the lights were coming from and saw that his house was on fire. He also saw Mayor Jones, Ed and Slick standing around watching it burn.

Malcolm was so entranced by the sight of his house burning that he was surprised when the Sheriff moved in front of the window.

Malcolm immediately ducked down and prayed that the Sheriff hadn't seen him. He kept low as he made his way back to Sabella.

"What's going on?" Sabella asked as soon as he opened the car door.

"Mayor Jones, Ed, Slick and the Sheriff are burning down my house," Malcolm said his voice dripping with anger.

"What?" Sabella replied panic overwhelming her. "We need to get out of here," she said reaching for the keys in the ignition.

"No," Malcolm said grabbing hold of her hand. "We're in the safest place we could ever be right now."

"What?" Sabella said looking at Malcolm as if he'd lost his mind.

"It's obvious the Mayor, and the others think that we're inside the house," Malcolm said. "If we stay in here and wait for them to leave, we can leave, and we won't have to worry about them coming after us or looking for us, because they're going to think we're dead. If don't think we're dead we'll have a good head start because they won't find out we're still alive until the fire department puts the fire out and the smoke clears."

"Suppose the garage catches on fire, or they decide to burn it down?" Sabella asked. "What will we do then? I don't think we should risk the twins' lives."

"It's going to be okay," Malcolm said trying to assure Sabella that they were safe. "If they decide to burn down the garage, we'll use your baby to bust out of here."

Sabella wasn't comfortable with Malcolm's plan, but she agreed to do things his way.

"I promise everything will be fine," Malcolm said a confidence in his voice that Sabella didn't understand.

(((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))

Sheriff Jenkins nearly had a heart attack when he looked over at the side door of the garage and saw Malcolm looking out of the side door's window. He wondered what the fool was thinking sticking his head up for everyone to see. He hoped by moving in front of the side door that Malcolm would realize he was in danger of being seen. He was relieved to look back and see that Malcolm's head was no longer in the window.

((((((((((((((((()))))))))))))))))

"Where's Bart?" Mayor Jones asked realizing that his friend was missing.

"I think he went around the back of the house," Slick replied.

"Go get him," Mayor Jones ordered. "I want us to leave together so that we'll all be home when we're called as members of the Culbert County Volunteer Fire Department to put this thing out."

"Alright chief," Slick said making his way to the back of the house.

"You better get going Ed," Mayor Jones said. "You have further to drive than the rest of us."

Ed stood in the front yard watching the house of his best friend and godson burn to the ground. He couldn't believe things had come to this, Klan members burning another Klan member's house down. Anger began to boil inside of him at the reason, why it was happening. Malcolm and his father and the picture Malcolm's father took.

'Why didn't you give up the picture Malcolm?' Ed thought to himself. 'None of this would've happened if you had given up the picture.'

Of course, Ed was willing to overlook the fact that at the time the picture was taken, he, and the others happily posed for it. They were proud of what they were doing and they all wanted a memento of that evening.

"Ed!" Mayor Jones said shouting to get Ed's attention.

"What!" Ed replied still staring at the burning house.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Ed said eyes still trained on the fire.

"You need to head home," Mayor Jones told him. "You have further to drive than the rest of us and we want you to be home when you get the call about the fire."

"Alright, I'll..."

Mayor! Ed!" Slick shouted as he came running from the back of the house.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Mayor Jones asked.

"Bart's been shot," Slick said pointing at the back of the house, his eyes big as saucer fear covering his face. "He's dead. Somebody shot him."

Ed and Mayor Jones took off running towards the back of the house. Slick didn't follow them unable to look at the lifeless body of his friend again.

When they reached the back yard and saw Bart lying on the ground Ed and Mayor Jones stopped in their tracks their mouths gaped open. They looked at each other, then they moved slowly towards the body. They looked down at the body and knew without touching it that their friend was indeed dead.

"Who could've done this?" Ed asked staring at the bullet hole centered right between Bart's eyes. "And why we didn't hear a gun go off?"

"I don't think that Malcolm, the woman and those brats are in the house," Mayor Jones said looking around the back yard, searching for any sign of Malcolm.

"Of course they're in the house," Ed said looking at the Mayor as if he'd lost his mind. "The Sheriff was here watching them, if they'd left the house, he would've told us. It has to be somebody else."

"My stupid nephew wouldn't have told us the house was empty if he thought he could get his hand on the girl," Mayor Jones said. "You know how bad he wanted her. He almost begged me to let her live."

"Malcolm wouldn't let the Sheriff get within a foot of that woman," Ed pointed out. "He would shoot the Sheriff dead on the spot if he took one step in her direction."




Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 15



"Then you explain to me why Bart is lying here on the ground, dead with a bullet between his eyes!" Mayor Jones said.

Ed was about to answer the Mayor when they heard a gun go off, both men ran towards the front of the house to find out what was going on.

When they reached the front, they were greeted with the sight of Slick lying on the ground, and the Sheriff standing over him with his gun drawn.

"What happened?" Mayor Jones asked running over and kneeling down next to Slick.

"I don't know," Sheriff Jenkins replied. "We were standing her talking when Slick's face went funny, and he fell to the ground."

"He's been shot," Ed said after turning the body over and seeing a bullet hole in the back of Slick's head.

"You shot him!" Mayor Jones accused jumping up and pointing his gun at the Sheriff.

"No, I didn't," Sheriff Jenkins said pointing his gun at his Uncle. "It happened just the way I told you. We were standing here talking when he suddenly keeled over."

"Why did you fire your gun?" Mayor Jones asked lowering his gun.

"I thought I saw a flash coming from the direction of the back yard," Sheriff Jenkins replied. "I thought it was the person who shot Slick, so I shot at him."

"Ed and I were in the back yard," Mayor Jones said, "and we didn't see a thing."

"I don't know why you and Ed didn't see anything," Sheriff Jenkins said. "I can only tell you what I saw."

Tired of the constant arguing between the Mayor and the Sheriff and feeling that they needed to concentrate on the person who was trying to kill them, Ed went over to stop their bickering.

"I don't think we should be stand..."

Ed suddenly stopped talking a stunned and surprised look appeared on his face as he turned towards Sheriff Jenkins and Mayor Jones. The look on his face appeared to ask what happened as he fell to the ground flat on his face, like a tree that had been chopped down by a lumberjack.

Mayor Jones bent down to see what happened to his friend, he gasped when he saw a bullet hole dead center Ed's back right in the area of his heart.

"What the hell is going on here?!" Mayor Jones screamed his heart feeling as if it were going to burst from his chest as he stood up and looked around Malcolm's property trying to find the person shooting at them.

"I don't know!" Sheriff Jenkins screamed back the panic he felt dripping off in his body in the form of sweat.

Sheriff Jenkins was scanning their surroundings trying to figure out where the person who was shooting at them was when he felt the cold metal of the Mayor's gun barrel against his temple.

"I'm going to ask you one question," his Uncle said his voice void of any emotion, "and whether or not you live or die will depend on whether or not you tell me the truth. Did you have anything to do with this?"

"No!" Sheriff Jenkins screamed shocked that his Uncle could ask him such a question. "Why would I want to kill you or the others?"

"So that you and that nigger could ride off into the sunset together!" Mayor Jones said. "You almost got down on your hands and knees and begged me not to kill her. But I refused your request. I could see you seeing this as the perfect opportunity to get back at me."

"I wouldn't do that," Sheriff Jenkins said his voice pleading with his Uncle to believe him.

Mayor Jones was about to lower his gun when the sound of a baby crying suddenly filled the late night air.

"What's that?" Mayor Jones asked pressing the barrel of the gun against his nephew's head once again.

"What's what?" Sheriff Jenkins replied praying that Malcolm or Sabella would make the baby stop crying.

"Don't stand there and try to play dumb," Mayor Jenkins said cocking the trigger of the gun, "Don't try to pretend you didn't hear what sounded like a baby crying."

"I didn't hear anything," Sheriff Jenkins said. "Especially not a baby crying."

The Mayor was about to accuse the Sheriff of lying when once again the sound of a baby crying once again reached their ears. This time it sounded as if there was more than one baby crying and the Mayor could tell by the look on the Sheriff's face that he heard the sound too.

"What's wrong Carl?" Mayor Jones asked his voice turned deadly and cold. "Do you hear the baby or should I say babies crying now?"

"I swear I thought they were in the house," Sheriff Jenkins said a shiver moving through his body causing it to shake uncontrollably at the thought of what his Uncle might do to him if he didn't believe him.

"You lying bastard!" Mayor Jones screamed about to pull the trigger on his gun and send a bullet into the Sheriff's skull. But before he could shoot a shot rang out, Mayor Jones shouted out in pain, grabbed his leg and fell to the ground.

As the Mayor fell to the ground the gun, the Mayor was holding fell from his hand. Sheriff Jenkins picked the gun up and pointed it at his Uncle.

"You crazy old man!" Sheriff Jenkins yelled his anger making him forget that someone with a gun was watching and shooting at him and his Uncle. "I should blow your fucking brains out!"

"You don't have the guts," Mayor Jones said daring his nephew to pull the trigger.

The Sheriff was about to pull the trigger when another shot rang out hitting his Uncle in the chest. Mayor Jones' face went lax; his eyes stared at something behind the Sheriff as his head fell back and his eyes slowly closed.

"Who's out there?!" the Sheriff yelled his fear causing him to miss the man dressed in black walking towards him. "You've got five seconds to show yourself. If you don't I'm going to call in reinforcements and we're going to hunt you down like the yellow-belly coward you are."

Judge Wheats shook his head as he looked down the scope of his rifle and walked towards the screaming idiot lying on the ground trying to threaten him.

'I should just shoot this fool,' he thought to himself. "Drop the gun, Sheriff," he said instead.

Sheriff Jenkins turned in the direction of the Judge's voice surprised to see the man standing before him, wondering how he managed to get so close to him without him seeing or hearing him.

"If you shoot me you're going to bring down a load of trouble on yourself Judge," Sheriff Jenkins said laying the gun he was holding on the ground. "You better think about what you're thinking of doing."

'The idiot,' Judge Wheats thought to himself. "I just shot and killed four men," Judge Wheats pointed out to the Sheriff. "Do you think the fact that you're a Sheriff will keep me from killing you if that's what I intend to do?"

Seeing his logic and unable to answer his question Sheriff Jenkins went silent.

"You don't have to worry about me killing you," Judge Wheats said as his truck pulled up onto Malcolm's driveway. "I've done what I came here to do. But, I have another piece of this puzzle that'll put an end to this story. You stay right here I'll be back."

Sheriff Jenkins watched as Judge Wheats headed towards his truck that had just pulled up to the end of Malcolm's driveway. A man dressed as a Klan member got out of the driver's seat of Judge Wheats' truck, then both of them walked to the back of the truck, Judge Wheats lowered the tailgate of the truck. Sheriff Jenkins mouth fell open when the two men lifted a body out of the bed of the truck, brought it over and tossed it on the ground in front of the Sheriff. Sheriff Jenkins recognized the body as that of Thomas Swain, he'd been shot in the chest.

"He came by to tell me who killed Sarah Jane," Judge Wheats said as he looked down at Thomas' lifeless body lying on the ground. "He thought if he told me that I would be grateful and give him the reward money I was offering. He was right. I was grateful and I gave him just the reward he deserved."

The man wearing the Klan outfit laughed.

"Sheriff as far as I'm concerned this situation has been resolved," Judge Wheats said. "The men who murdered my Sarah Jane have been dealt with so I'm satisfied."

"How are you going to explain the deaths of all of these men?" Sheriff Jenkins asked. "All these men are prominent men of Culbert County, people are going to demand and explanation about how they died. Their families are going to want to know who shot them."

"I'm sure you can come up with an explanation that'll satisfy any questions that anyone asks," Judge Wheats said. "I mean you are the law, I'm sure that anything you say or any account you give will be believed by anyone that asks. I'm also sure that you can come up with a story that'll leave me and my friend out of it and allow you to get what you want."

As Judge Wheats said the last words out of his mouth his eyes looked towards the garage, then back at the Sheriff.

Catching his meaning the Sheriff nodded his head. "I believe these men were killed by Malcolm when he caught them in the act of burning down his house, because of all the years he'd been blackmailing them. By threatening to tell everyone that they were the ones who burned down the house that killed Sarah Jane Wheats" Sheriff Jenkins said. "Who I was forced to shoot when I came upon the scene and saw him gunning down four of Culbert County's most upstanding citizens."

"That seems like a reasonable scenario to me," Judge Wheats said stroking his chin a grin on his face. "We're going to be leaving you now Sheriff. I see that you have your work cut out for you tonight."

The two men climb into the Judge's truck, backed out of Malcolm's driveway and made their way home.

"You can take that damn thing off now," Judge Wheats told the man sitting next to him in his truck.

Daniel Lucas quickly pulled off the hood, the robe and the white gloves he was wearing. He balled up the items and threw them on the floor of the truck.

"I'm gonna have to wash my skin for a month straight to get the stink of wearing this thing off of me," he told the Judge as he ran his hands over his dark skin as if he could physically brush way the sliminess that lingered there after wearing the Klan outfit. "Even then I don't think I'll ever feel clean again."

"Don't be so dramatic," the Judge said. "You only wore it for an hour."

"It was an hour too long for me," Daniel said. "Do you think he'll tell them it happened the way he said?"

"I don't know and I don't care," Judge Wheats replied. "I have an airtight alibi no matter what he says and he doesn't know that you're involved. If he gets caught in his lies and he's forced to tell the truth no one will believe him, especially when he claims that there was a member of the Klan there with me. Whether it's true or not when he makes that accusation he's going to put himself on the Klan's hit list."

"I've waited for years to make the men who killed my brother and his family pay for what they did that night," Daniel said his eyes going dark with anger as he thought about the night his brother's house was burned to the ground and everyone inside was killed.

That night he lost his brother, sister, nephew, two nieces and his mother. When his mother heard the news about what happened that night she went insane and died of a broken heart six months later. Leaving him alone, without any family. Just like Judge Wheats, Daniel too tried to find out who was responsible for destroying his family. He wanted them to pay for what they'd done, but he knew because his family was poor and because of the color of his family's skin that wasn't going to happen. If justice was going to issued on this matter it would have to come through him. He was glad when Judge Wheats came to see him. He was surprised when the Judge told him he had something in his truck that he wanted to show him and he saw Thomas Swain's body lying on the bed of the truck.

"That's the brother of one of the men responsible for the fire that killed my Sarah Jane, your brother and his family," Judge Wheats said. "I'm going to get the rest of the bastards responsible, but I'm going to need your help and you're going to have to wear this so they won't know that you're involved.

When the Judge held up the Klan robe and hood Daniel thought that he was going to be physically sick.

"I won't wear that," Daniel told the Judge.

"Do you want the people who destroyed your family to pay for what they did?" Judge Wheats asked.

"You know I do," Daniel replied.

"Then put on the damn clothes," Judge Wheats demanded. "If you don't I'll get somebody else to help me, but this thing is going to be done tonight."

Daniel took the robe and hood and put them on, how he managed not to vomit, only God knows.

"Put these on too," Judge Wheats said tossing a pair of white gloves to Daniel.

As Daniel slipped the gloves on he began to understand why the judge wanted him to wear the Klan robe and hood but it didn't make wearing the offending clothing any easier.

"You think of everything," Daniel said to the Judge.

"It pays for the hunter to be smarter than his prey," Judge Wheats replied a slight grin on his face.

Since Thomas told the Judge what Mayor Jones, and the others planned to do that night and what time they planned to do it, Daniel and the Judge reached Malcolm's house two hours before they were scheduled to arrive. They parked the Judge's truck on a side road closed to Malcolm's house, and then they walked up to Malcolm's house the Judge taking up a position in the woods that would allow him to see the front of Malcolm's house, and Daniel took up a position in the woods behind the house.

He'd watched as the Mayor and the rest of those fools threw gas around preparing to burn down an empty house. He and Judge Wheats saw Malcolm, the colored woman he'd heard about around town that was staying with Malcolm, and the two babies head into the garage earlier. Daniel didn't understand why they went into the garage but he was glad that Malcolm had managed to get everyone out of harm's way.

Bart Samuelson came around the back of the house splashing the walls with gasoline as he made his way to the back porch. After thoroughly drowning the porch with the gasoline Bart reached behind him and pulled one of the two Molotov cocktails he had out of the back pockets of his pants. He took out a cigarette lighter, light the wick and threw it onto the back porch.

After setting the back porch ablaze the idiot started taunting Malcolm daring him to come out of the house that the he could shoot him and the nigger bitch with him.

"Come on out, Malcolm," he yelled. "Or are you and those darkies inside with you going to stay inside and burn. You shouldn't have tried to blackmail us Malcolm. Now you and your little family are going to have to pay the price. Com'on Malcolm, I'll make it quick. I'll put the bullet right between your eyes, you won't feel any pain at all. I'll do the same for the girl, after I have a little taste of course."

Bart started laughing like a clown. It was all Daniel could take. He raised the rifle that Judge Wheats had given him and prepared to take aim at his target. He only hoped the thing the Judge placed on the end of the gun he was holding would work, because if he shot the gun, and it made a loud noise, he and the Judge would lose the element of surprise and could themselves lose their lives this night.

'It worked,' Daniel thought to himself as Bart's body fell to the ground, amazed when the loud sound he was expecting to hear when he shot the rifle didn't materialize.

The silencer Judge Wheats put on the end of the rifle kept the rifle from almost making any sound at all. The only sound the gun made was the sound one would hear if you fired the gun against a pillow.

Daniel crouched down when Slick came into the back yard obviously looking for Bart. He aimed his rifle at Slick as he walked over, bent down over Bart's prone body and turned him over. Daniel was about to pull the trigger when the sound of movement had him checking out his surroundings making sure no one caught him unaware. His attention was returned, back to Slick when he heard the man say, "Oh, my God," t take off for the front yard.

He was tempted to break the promise; he'd made to Judge Wheats to allow him to be the one to take care of Ed and Mayor Jones when he realized he had a clear shot of the two men when they made their way over to Bart. The desire to shoot Ed and Mayor Jenkins was so strong he could taste it, but he resisted. The loud shot of gunfire coming from the direction of the front yard surprised him and caused him to wonder who fired it, since he knew just like him Judge Wheats had a silencer on his rifle.

Daniel followed Mayor Jones and Ed back to the front because he wanted to make sure Judge Wheats was alright, but he remained hidden in the woods. He found the Judge as he neared him, the Judge lowered his gun letting Daniel know that the shot he heard was fired by the Judge. Looking at the barrel of the Judge's gun Daniel saw that the silencer was no longer attached.

"I wanted him to hear the sound of the bullet that was going to kill him," Judge Wheats said. "The same way Sarah Jane saw and felt the fire that killed her. Go get my truck Daniel, I'm going to end this thing now."

When Daniel drove up with the truck he saw that the Judge had ended the Mayor's life.

"Damn!" he said to himself sorry that he'd missed it. He wanted the last thing the Mayor saw was him standing over him a big smile on his face, as he went to meet his maker.

"Drop me off back home," Daniel told the Judge. "I'm sure Glory is worried sick about where I am."

"Goodnight, Daniel," Judge Wheats said as Daniel opened the passenger door and prepared to exit the Judge's truck.

"Goodnight, Judge Wheats," Daniel replied.

"Call me, Sam," Judge Wheats said holding his hand out for Daniel to shake.

Daniel looked at the Judge as if he'd gone and lost his mind.

"What?" Daniel replied.

"Call me, Sam," Judge Wheats replied. "All my friends call me Sam and I've always considered you and your family to be friends. I know I haven't treated you that way but I plan to make up for the things I did as Judge. It took Sarah Jane's death to open my eyes to what I was doing and the devastating effects my actions had on those I wronged, but I'm going to do all I can to correct my actions before I go stand before the Lord."

"Goodnight, Sam," Daniel said smiling at the Judge. "I have faith that if anyone can make things right in this world, that you're the one that can do it."

Daniel got out of the truck and headed into his home and Judge Wheats put his truck in gear and headed home. He knew that he wouldn't be sleeping much tonight because he had a lot of atoning to do.

(((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))

Sheriff Jenkins stood over his Uncle's body, looking down at it wondering why he didn't feel any sense of loss over his Uncle being killed right in front of him. Why did he have the urge to spit on his Uncle's body instead of shedding tears. Unable to help himself, the Sheriff drew his foot back then slammed into his Uncle's face.

'Because the heartless bastard never respected me,' the Sheriff thought to himself. 'He thought I was only good for ordering around and playing chauffer to him, while he played big man around town. How does it feel now Uncle? My, my, you can't feel anything now because you're dead.' "Sabella and I are going to be together," Sheriff Jenkins said a chuckle in his voice as he reloaded his gun, preparing to make his way over to the garage. "I'm going to have my black beauty just the way I've always wanted and there isn't a damn thing that you can do about it. I might keep both my black beauties. Aren't you going to congratulate me Uncle? Oh, I forgot you're dead."

Sheriff Jenkins laughed kicking his Uncle in the stomach with his boots as he moved past him towards the garage.

"Alright, Malcolm," Sheriff Jenkins said yelling at the garage door. "I know that you and RaeLynn are in there; I'm giving you until the count of three to come out."




Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 15



Silence.

"I know you don't want those babies in there with you to be hurt," Sheriff Jenkins said referring to Solomon and Serena, "if you don't want that to happen you and RaeLynn better come on out of there, with your hands up."

Silence.

"This is the last time I'm going to order you to come out, Malcolm," the Sheriff said. "Don't make it hard on yourself by forcing me to take more drastic measures that might get either you, RaeLynn or those babies hurt. I'm giving you and RaeLynn a minute to come out of there with your hands up. After that I'm calling reinforcements, and any lives lost will be on your's and RaeLynn's consciences.

Silence.

"I'm starting the count," the Sheriff said. "One. Two. Three."

Just as Sheriff Jenkins reached for the doorknob of the garage door a shoot was fired, hitting the Sheriff dead center of his back, striking his heart.

"What the..." Sheriff Jenkins said a surprised look on his face as he looked down at his tan shirt and saw his rich, deep, dark, red blood spread across his shirt like milk that had been spilled on a tabletop.

He looked around to see if he could figure out where the shot came from. Thinking that the Judge hadn't actually left and decided to kill him too, Sheriff Jenkins was surprised when he looked in the direction of his Uncle to see him lying on the ground a gun in his hand a smile on his face.

The gun the Sheriff was holding slipped from his hand on to the ground, the Sheriff's body fell to the ground face first right beside it.

Judge Jenkins watched his nephew fall, then he let out a small chuckle and took his last breath.

(((((((((((((((())))))))))))))))

"What're we going to do?" Sabella asked Malcolm as they sat inside her Hummer hugging each other listening to the Sheriff count.

"We're going to be alright," Malcolm assured Sabella tightening his hold on her.

"He's going to walk through that door in less than a minute," Sabella aid the fear she was feeling growing. "We can't let him get his hands on Solomon and Serena. There's not telling what he would do to them if we allow that to happen."

"He's not going to get them," Malcolm told her. "I won't let him get anywhere near them.

"Two," they heard the Sheriff say.

"Malcolm," Sabella said tightening her hold on Malcolm's shoulder causing her nails to dig deep into his skin.

"Three."

Malcolm and Sabella jumped when the Sheriff reached three and they heard the gunshot and a few seconds later heard the sound of something hitting the ground.

"You stay here with Solomon and Serena," Malcolm told Sabella after waiting a few seconds and not hearing a sound outside after the gunshot. "If anything happens you jump in this thing and get the hell out of here."

"Alright," Sabella said getting behind the wheel of her vehicle.

Malcolm was about to make his way over to the garage side door when the sound of someone turning the doorknob filled the garage.

"Lay down," Malcolm ordered Sabella pushing her down onto the front seat, then raising his gun up preparing to shoot whoever was about to enter the garage.

Malcolm held his breath as the garage door slowly opened and a shadow from a light source Malcolm couldn't identify feel across the door. The shadow (clearly that of a man) raised its hand and Malcolm saw that it was holding a gun. Cocking the trigger on his pistol Malcolm aimed at the door and held his breath.

"Sabella!" yelled a voice from outside the garage.

Sabella raised her head and tears formed in her eyes. She raised up higher as the voice called her name again. Recognizing the voice she told herself that what she was hearing had to be her imagination, her ears had to be playing tricks on her because what she was hearing couldn't be real.

"Sabella!" the voice yelled a third time demanding a response from Sabella.

"Mark!" Sabella yelled back praying to God that she it was"Mark!" Sabella yelled back praying to God that she it was really her brother calling her.

"Sabella," Mark said leaning his head inside the garage.

"Mark!" Sabella screamed jumping out of the Hummer and running, her arms wide open, tears streaming down her face as she ran towards her brother, and threw herself into his opened arms.

"Sabella," Mark said catching his sister in midair, wrapping his arms tightly around her. "I thought the only way I'd ever see you again was on a computer screen."

"So, did I," Sabella said wiping the tears that fell from her brother's eyes. "I'm so glad we were wrong."

A smile appeared on Malcolm's face watching Sabella hug her brother, knowing that she was glad to be holding him in her arms once again.

"Hello," Mark said looking over Sabella's shoulder at the man standing behind them, walking over to him, still holding his sister, his hand extended.

"Hello," Malcolm replied extending his hand out to Mark. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person."

"Same here," Mark said a big smile on his face, a tear rolling down his cheek as he held Sabella. "Thank you for taking care of my little sister. She means the world to me."

"No, problem," Malcolm said pulling Sabella into his arms when she came close enough, "she means the world to me too."

"Mark, are you alright?"

Everyone turned towards the sound of the voice to see Regina coming into the garage a shotgun almost as big as her in her arms, cocked and ready to shoot.

"I'm fine," Mark replied chuckling. "I have a surprise for you."

He moved aside so that his wife could see Sabella.

"Sabella?" Regina said lowering the shotgun she was holding, her voice showing that she didn't believe what she was seeing.

"Hello, Regina," Sabella said stepping out of her brother's arms and moving towards her best friend.

"Sabella," Regina said again, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth, her body shaking as it filled with emotion. "You're back, my God you're back."

The two women ran into each other's arms. Mark ran over and grabbed the shotgun Regina dropped before it hit the ground afraid it would go off and hurt someone.

"Did you make the arrangements I asked you to make?" Malcolm whispered to Mark as the two men watched the women hug each other and bawl their eyes out.

"Yes, I did," Mark replied. "You know Sabella is going to try and give you an out."

"Yeah, I know," Malcolm replied laughing. "But I ain't taking it she's mine and I'm hers."

"Oh, my God," Regina said looking over Sabella's shoulder and seeing Malcolm. "He came back with you."

"Yes, he did," Sabella said.

"What about the twins?" Regina asked.

"Come here," Sabella said leading her sister towards the backseat of her Hummer. She opened the passenger door and revealed Solomon and Serena lying on the backseat both of them asleep their fists in their mouths.

"They're beautiful," Regina said unable to resists picking up Serena and waking her. "Look at those eyes. She's going to be a little heartbreaker."

"So is he," Sabella said picking up Solomon. "He's going to have to beat women off with a stick. I wish we could keep them," Sabella said sadly knowing that she would have to turn the twins over to DFACS. "We should be able to keep them," she said tears forming in her eyes.

"Do you want to keep them," Malcolm asked her.

"Of course I want to keep them," Sabella replied. "You and I are the only mother and father they've known since the day they were born."

"I have something I need to tell you," Malcolm said walking over to Sabella putting his arm around her shoulder, leading her out of the garage towards the house.

"She's going to flip," Regina said walking behind Sabella and Malcolm carrying Serena.

"She's going to be extremely happy," Mark said putting an arm around his wife giving her a kiss on the cheek.