MARIEL

13~ Family ~

The silver pots of steaming spaghetti and marinara sauce sat centered on the placemats between Phil Jameson, Hailey, and her new boyfriend, Drake Lannigan. No one spoke. No one moved. Each of them barely breathed as they eyed each other, assessed each other.

Phil was displeased. He hadn't expected Hailey tonight, especially with a beau, and yet he was not surprised. The trial that the Lord had put upon him had, clearly, not ended. First, the police officers. Next, the return of Hailey and a male friend who, to be honest, seemed surprisingly wholesome.

It was Wednesday evening, and he still hadn't fully recovered from the interaction with the police officers. There they had stood, the blonde female, the black male, upon his porch, with the audacity to look at him as though he were guilty of something heinous. Granted, saving Victoria's soul hadn't been the most pleasant of experiences, but the worldly cops would not have understood such a thing. To Phil, it had seemed almost set up, planned. Why else would they send a female police officer and a black officer to investigate?

To crucify him. To remind Phil that they, the 'diverse' group of officers, were there to intimidate him with their agenda. To paint a very specific picture.

'Breaking News: Conservative, rich, white male arrested for the murder of daughter, imprisonment of wife.'

He'd be painted as a bigot. A man who had no other intention but to 'destroy the liberals'. What Satan's world did not recognize was the fact that the Biblical times were simpler times. Wives were held accountable. Daughters were held accountable. Men were held accountable to lead, to direct their families towards God, to preach God's word and let no man tear them asunder. No matter the costs.

In today's world, families no longer put God first. They no longer walked the path of righteousness. Phil's actions would be misunderstood but, for the saving of his family and God's perfect plan, it was a risk worth taking. This gift was no mistake, and it was sent from God to use in a way to remind the world that their current pathway led straight to hell. Due to the growing plagues within churches, the splitting of the laity, the rise of false prophets such as the likes of Fr. Jerome Nadier, Phil was certain that the world was fast plunging into the last days. The end times. Armageddon.

It would soon be time to fulfill his purpose. To reveal God's light. To bring the world back to Christ.

Interacting with the officers, however, had gone unexpectedly well. At first, he had been nervous, but once the female officer had made an effort to get to know him, his nerves had calmed. The blonde officer had introduced herself first and, to be honest, he could not remember her name, but she had asked him several standard questions regarding the last time he had seen Victoria Jameson. He had assured them that he was just as concerned as they were, and that he hadn't seen her since she had stopped by the house one evening. As far as he had known, she had returned to college.

Phil had asked the important questions. What if she had been kidnapped? Raped? God forbid, murdured? Now, granted, he felt somewhat un-Christlike with the lie, but he had been genuinely upset. She had tried to attack him, had tried to release her mother into a world where suicide was an option. Matthew 15:4 had been clear: 'For God had said, 'honor thy Father and Mother' and 'anyone who curses their father and mother is to be put to death'.

"Please contact me if you hear anything," he had said, mournfully. The officers said that they would. Then, the female officer had asked him something strange, unexpected, after gesturing the black officer to the cruiser to start the report.

"Are you aware of a man by the name of Mariel Nadier?" she had asked. Her sharp eyes had continuously fluttered to the front door, as if she could hear something. It had caused an unpleasant rise in his heart rate.