The Girls in Skirts

Chapter Thirteen

"I've been talking with God and praying for your family." Pastor folded his hands together on his desk and leaned forward. His eyebrows knitted together in a serious way and his forehead furrowed. "Maddie, I believe that you need to separate yourself and your children from Adam."

Maddie's mouth fell open and somewhere inside of her stomach something dropped.

She could not believe the words coming out of her pastor's mouth.

"But, God hates divorce." The statement rose up and blurted itself out of her mouth before Maddie could even stop and think through her thoughts of feelings. "My children need a father in their lives, they need a spiritual leader."

All of her life Maddie had been taught the umbrella principle, the significance of having a husband lead a family and having a wife under him, and the children under her. For the past eight years Maddie had been reminded of this principle of submission almost weekly.

She could not believe the words coming out of her pastor's mouth.

Pastor tapped the Bible to his left. "Adam has renounced Christ, he has renounced faith. Adam can no longer spiritually lead you or your children."

Maddie's mind was racing. When Maddie had visited Adam last week he had looked like an absolute disaster, his appearance and his mannerisms had absolutely terrified her. Adam had been distraught, he had babbled on and on and rung his hands together. His words had slurred together. His eyes had watered.

It had been her first time visiting him since his sentencing, the first time she had seen him since the birth of their son.

A guard had told Maddie that Adam was going through withdrawals. Withdrawals of the drugs that Adam had hidden from Maddie. Withdrawls of the drugs that had made his prison sentence even longer.

"Leave me. Leave the church. Get out. Get our kids out." Adam had repeated those statements over and over. His water-filled eyes had pleaded desperately with Maddie. Maddie could not understand why he would say those things, why he would want her to leave him or the church, but Adam had not let her respond.

"Leave, get them out. Get them out of that crazy church before they end up like us, before they end up like me." Adam had called out in desperation.

Every interaction Maddie had with Adam at the jail had terrified every part of her. She had felt like fear was gripping her soul.

The only thing Adam had asked Maddie was the name of their son and if Maddie had ended up changing his name since she had to give birth alone.

Maddie and Adam had disagreed on names for their fourth baby, Adam had wanted to name their son Carson, but Maddie had wanted to name him Charlie, after her grandfather. Maddie had named him Carson Alexander just one week ago. She had submitted to the wishes of her husband, just like she always had.

Now sitting in the pastor's office Maddie was beginning to wonder if Adam had said anything about Maddie taking the kids and leaving him to their pastor when her pastor had gone to visit him. Maddie knew that pastor must have visited Adam. When Maddie had finally left the courtroom to give birth to her son her pastor had still been sitting against the back wall watching the trial with folded arms and a scowling face.

"Adam has renounced Christ." That is what her pastor had said. "I think you should take your kids and separate yourself from Adam." Those were the instructions their pastor was repeating to Maddie.

Separate meant separate. Separate meant leave. Separate meant divorce.

The same pastor had told her to stay with Adam when he had an affair for over six months.