HELL AND HEAVEN
CHAPTER ONE

ANGEL WAS WORKING IN THE GARDEN WHEN SHE HEARD FOOTSTEPS COMING UP THE WALK. SHE TURNED AROUND TO SEE A WOMAN ABOUT 5’ 6” WITH GRAYING HAIR, SHE LOOKED TOO BE ABOUT 60 YEARS OLD. “HELLO,” ANGEL SAID POLIETLY.
“HELLO, I WAS WONDERING IF I COULD BORROW YOUR PHONE,” THE WOMAN SAID. “MY CELL IS DEAD AND I HAVE A FLAT TIRE. I NEED TO CALL MY HUSBAND AND GET HIM TOO COME GET ME.”
“SURE NO PROBLEM,” ANGEL SAID AS SHE WAS GETTING UP. “COME ON INSIDE.” AS THEY WALKED INSIDE ANGEL INTRODUCED HERSELF. “MY NAME IS ANGEL TALBOT”
“I’M SERENA CALLOWAY,” SERENA SAID. “WHERE IS THE PHONE DEAR?”
“OH SORRY IN THE KITCHEN, THIS WAY.” ANGEL SAID WALKING TO THE KITCHEN. WHILE SERENA WAS ON THE PHONE ANGEL SET ABOUT MAKING LUNCH FOR HER AND HER SON. “WHAT IS THE ADDRESS DEAR?” SERENA SAID HOLDING A HAND OVER THE PHONE.
“712 AZEALA DR.” ANGEL SAID. “JIMMY, COME HERE.” SERENA NEVER HEARD THE CHILD AS SHE HUNG UP THE PHONE.
“YES MAMA.” JIMMY SAID AS HE WALKED IN. HE WAS SMALL FRAMED BOY NO MORE THAN NINE OR TEN, WITH REDDISH BLONDE HAIR AND GREEN EYES.
“SET THE TABLE BUT FIRST SAY HELLO TO MRS CALLOWAY.”
“HELLO.” JIMMY SAID QUITELY.
“HELLO.” SERENA SAID. “HE IS SO WELL BEHAVED. I WISH MY SONS WHERE THAT WELL MANNERED WHEN THE WHERE THAT AGE. ANY WAY MY HUSBAND SAID IT WILL BE ABOUT AN HOUR SOMETHING ABOUT A HORSE THAT IS GIVEN THEM TROUBLE. SO I WILL HAVE TO WAIT ON HIM. DO YOU MIND IF I WAIT HERE, IF NOT I CAN GO BACK TO THE TRUCK?”
“NO PROBLEM, WOULD YOU LIKE SOMETHING TO EAT WE HAVE PLENTY.” ANGEL SAID AS SHE GAVE JIMMY THE PLATES.
“THAT WOULD BE GREAT. WHAT ARE YOU MAKING, IT SMELLS GOOD.” “MUSHROOM RAVOLLIS, MY MOM’S RECIPE” ANGEL SAID AS SHE DISHED UP TH PLATES. SHE SET THE PLATES DOWN AND SAID GRACE. SERENA TOOK A BITE AND WAS IN HEAVEN.
“THIS IS SO GOOD. WHERE DID YOU LEARN TO COOK?”
“MY MOM, SHE TAUGHT ME EVERTHING I KNOW.”
“SHE TAUGHT YOU WELL. DO YOU WORK ANY WHERE?”
“NO I HOME SCHOOL JIMMY. MY HUSBAND WORKS FOR ALPHA-CONSTRUCTION.”
“WHAT GRADE IS HE IN?”
“HE IS IN FOURTH GRADE.”
SERENA WAS QUITE FOR A WHILE. SHE KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG BUT WHAT. A KNOCK CAME FROM THE DOOR. ANGEL GOT UP TO GET IT, AS SHE GOT UP HER SLEVE RAISED UP AND SHOWED A BRUISE ON HER ARMS “OH WHAT HAPPENED DEAR?”
“I FELL.” SHE SAID HEADING FOR THE DOOR. JIMMY SAT THERE WITH TEARS IN HIS EYES. HE KNEW HIS DADDY HIT HIS MOMMY AGAIN. SERENA WATCHED THE BOY HOLD BACK TEARS AND SHE MADE UP HER MIND SHE WAS GOING TO HELP THEM ANY WAY SHE CAN.
ANGEL WENT TO THE DOOR WORRYING IF SERENA BOUGHT THE STORY OF THE BRUISES. SHE COULDN’T RISK ANY ONE FINDING OUT ABOUT HER HUSBAND. JASON MIGHT TAKE JIMMY AWAY. ANGEL TOOK A DEEP BREATH AND OPENED THE DOOR. HE STOOD THERE LIKE A COWBOY OUT AN OLD WESTREN. “HI” SHE SAID.
“HI, I’M COLE CALLOWAY. MY DAD TOLD ME TO PICK UP MY MOM SOMETHING ABOUT A FLAT TIRE.”
“SURE COME INSIDE.”ANGEL SAID ALLOWING HIM THE FOYER. ANGEL SHOWED HIM TO THE KITCHEN. AS THEY WERE WALKING ANGEL TOOK IN HIS LOOK. HE MUST HAVE BEEN AT LEAST SIX AND A HALF FEET TALL, AND HIS BLONDE HAIR LOOK LIKE GOLD. HIS BUILD SAID I DON’T HAVE AN OUNCE OF FAT ON ME. AS THEY GOT TO THE KITCHEN SHE HEARD JIMMY LAUGH, ANGEL WAS HAPPY BUT STARTLED TO HEAR HIM. HE HAD NOT LAUGHED IN SO LONG.
“SERENA YOUR SON IS HERE.” ANGEL SAID AS SHE WALKED IN.
SERENA TURNED AROUND “OH COLE, WHERE’S YOUR DAD? I THOUGHT HE WAS COMING.”
“HE WAS BUT HE GOT A PHONE CALL AND ASKED ME TO COME.”
“OH OKAY. HERE TRY THIS.” SERENA SAID AS SHE SHOVED A BITE FULL IN HIS MOUTH.
COLE LOOKED LIKE HE WAS IN HEAVEN. “OH THAT IS GOOD, VERY GOOD. MOM, WHY CAN’T YOU COOK LIKE THIS?” HE SAID PICKING AT HIS MOM.
“OH YOU” SHE SAID AS SHE HIT HIM ON THE ARM. JIMMY LET OUT A GIGGLE.
“HELLO WHO’S THIS?” COLE SAID NOTICING JIMMY. “I’M JIMMY LEE TALBOT AND THAT’S MY MOM.”
“HELLO SIR” COLE SAID AS HE SHOOK JIMMY’S HAND. ANGEL WATCHED JIMMY TALK TO COLE, JIMMY DOESN’T USUALY TALK TO MEN. “ANGEL, WOULD YOU LIKE TO WORK FOR ME?” SERENA SAID AS SHE STOOD UP.
ANGEL WAS surprised and WONDERING WHAT JOB SERENA COULD OFFER HER, SHE WAS JUST A HOUSEWIFE. “WHAT WOULD I HAVE TO DO?” ANGEL ASKED.
“I WOULD YOU LIKE YOU TO COOK FOR US. MY FAMILY HATES MY COOKING, AND HAS BEEN FUSSING FOR ME TO HIRE ONE. I REALLY LIKED your cooking AND I’M HOPING YOU WILL ACCEPT.”
“MAYBE YOU CAN TEACH HER HOW TO COOK TOO.” COLE SAID UNDER HIS BREATH WHICH EARNED HIM A POP IN THE BACK OF HIS HEAD.
“I HEARD THAT, BUT COLE IS RIGHT I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO COOK. SO WHAT DO YOU SAY?”
“I WOULD HAVE TO ASK MY HUSBAND BUT I WOULD LIKE TOO.” ANGEL SAID.
“HERE’S MY NUMBER, GIVE ME A CALL IN THE MORNING AND LET ME KNOW WHAT HE SAID.”
“OKAY.” ANGEL WALKED HER TO THE DOOR AND SHE SAW COLE AND JIMMY THROWING THE BALL. SHE WISHED HER HUSBAND WOULD TAKE TIME WITH JIMMY LIKE THIS GUY DID.
AFTER THEY SAYING THEIR GOODBYES AND GOT TO THE TRUCK, SERENA NOTICED HER TRUCK WAS ON THE TRAILER. “COULDN’T YOU FIND A TIRE FOR IT” SHE ASKED COLE.
“NOPE, DAD SAID TO PUT NEW TIRES ON IT.”
“WHY?” SHE ASKED.
COLE ANSWERED WITH A SMILE. “YOU MADE A PROMISE TO ME AND DAD. THE NEXT FLAT TIRE YOU GOT YOU WOULD BUY NEW TIRES. SO GUESS WHAT YOU TAUGHT ME.”
“TO ALWAYS KEEP YOUR PROMISES,” THEY SAID AT THE SAME TIME. THEY BOTH HAD A LAUGH AS THEY GOT TO THE GARAGE.
AFTER DROPING OFF THE TRUCK AND HEADING BACK HOME COLE ASKED “WHY DID YOU OFFER THE JOB TO MS. TALBOT?”
SERENA LEANED HER HEAD BACK ON THE SEAT AND CLOSED HER EYES. “IT’S HARD TO EXPLAIN. DID YOU SEE THE BRUISES ON HER ARM?”
“YEAH,” COLE SAID TRYING TO HOLD IN HIS TEMPER.
“SHE IS LOOKING FOR A WAY OUT, I KNOW SHE IS. THE LOOK IN HER EYES WHEN I SAY THE BRUISES SPOKE TO ME. HER LITTLE JIMMY WAS HOLDING BACK TEARS I COULD TELL. YOU KNOW HER HUSBAND WON’T LET JIMMY GO TO SCHOOL, HE MAKES HER HOME SCHOOL HIM. I HOPE HE WILL SAY YES.”
COLE SAID NOTHING FOR AWHILE. HE WAS WONDERING WHAT KIND OF MAN WOULD HIT HIS WIFE AND POSSIBLY HIS CHILD TOO. WHEN JIMMY PERKED UP WHEN HE SHOWED HIM ATTENTION, COLE KNEW ANGEL’S HUSBAND DIDN’T GIVE HIM ANY. COLE HAD DECIDED IF ANGEL TOOK THE JOB, HE WOULD GIVE JIMMY AS MUCH ATTENTION AS HE COULD. “I THINK SHE COULD TEACH YOU TO COOK TOO.” COLE SAID PICKING AT HIS MOM.
“WHAT, YOU DON’T LIKE MY COOKING” SERENA SAID AS SHE REACH HIS HAND TO GIVE IT A SQUEEZE. “I LOVE YOU, MOM.” “I LOVE YOU TOO, SON.”


CHAPTER TWO

ANGEL BUSIED HERSELF WITH HOUSEWORK. SHE WAS WORRIED ABOUT WHEN DEVLIN CAME HOME. HOW CAN SHE GET HIM TO SAY YES TO THE JOB? JIMMY WALKED INTO THE ROOM. “MOM, DO YOU THINK DADDY WOULD LET YOU TAKE THE JOB?”
ANGEL SMILED DOWN TO HER SON AND GAVE HIM A BIG HUG. “I HOPE SO, HONEY, I HOPE SO. ARE YOU FINISHED WITH YOUR ROOM? WE DON’T WANT TO MAKE DADDY UPSET HE MIGHT TELL ME NO.”
“ALL DONE, MOM I EVEN WIPED THE WALLS DOWN AS FAR AS I COULD REACH.”
“GOOD JOB, SON. LET’S GET SUPPER STARTED.” ANGEL SAID AS THEY WALKED INTO THE KITCHEN.
ABOUT SIX DEVLIN PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY; ANGEL HAD JUST FINISHED PUTTING THE LAST DISH ON THE TABLE. “I HOME.” HE SAID WHENEVER HE WAS IN A GOOD MOOD; ANGEL TOOK IT AS A GOOD SIGN. SHE HAD HIS FOOD WAITING ON HIM AT THE TABLE.
“DID YOU HAVE A GOOD DAY?” SHE ASKED AS HE SAT DOWN.
“SURE DID,” HE SAYS AS HE SHOVELED HIS FOOD, “WE FINISHED BEFORE THE HOUSE WAS DUE AND GOT A NEW JOB WAITING ON US.” ANGEL SAT AND LISTENED AS HE TALKED ABOUT DAY. ANGEL WAS NERVOUS ABOUT ASKING HIM ABOUT THE JOB. WHEN HE WAS FINISHED, ANGEL CLEANED UP THE DISHES AND THEN WENT INTO THE LIVING ROOM WITH HIM.
ANGEL SAT DOWN ON THE COUCH; SHE TOLD HIM WHAT HAPPENED TODAY. “WE HAD A VISITOR TO DAY.” SHE SAID DURING A COMERCIAL.
“I HOPE IT WASN’T THAT CASE WORKER AGAIN.” ANGEL QUIETED HIM DOWN BEFORE HE GOT TO ANGER.
“NO IT WAS NOT A CASEWORKER. THEY HAVEN’T BEEN AROUND SINCE THE TIBBS MOVED OUT NEXT DOOR.” THE TIBBS USED TO CALL WELFARE EVER TIME THEY HEARD DEVLIN START SCREAMING AT ANGEL. ANGEL KNEW IT WAS DEVLIN THAT CAUSED THEM TO BE EVICTED ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO. “IT WAS A WOMAN NAMED SERENA CALLOWAY.”
“WHAT DID SHE WANT?” DEVLIN ASKED NOT REALLY PAYING ATTENTION.
“SHE HAD A FLAT TIRE AND ASKED TO CALL HER HUSBAND AND BRING HER A SPARE.” SHE LET THAT SINK IN WHILE SHE WENT TO GRAB HIM ANTHOR BEER. WHEN SHE COMES BACK SHE MENTIONED THE JOB THAT SERENA HAD OFFER.
DEVLIN THOUGHT IT FOR A WHILE AND SAID, “WHAT KIND OF MONEY?”
“I’M NOT SURE; SHE WANTS ME TO COME OUT TOMORROW AND TALK ABOUT.” DEVLIN KNEW ABOUT THE CALLOWAYS AND THEIR RANCH, THEY WERE LOADED. HE FIGURED HE COULD TAKE ANGEL’S PAYCHECK AND BUY A NEW TRUCK. “SURE, AS LONG AS THE HOUSE IS CLEAN AND SUPPER IS DONE BY SIX I DON’T CARE.” HE SAID TURNING HIS ATTENTION BACK TO THE TV. ANGEL SAID A SIMPLE THANK YOU AND WENT TO PUT THE NEXT LOAD OF LAUNDRY. JIMMY HEARD HIS DAD SAY YES FROM HIS ROOM. HE SENT A SILENT THANK YOU TO GOD FOR TELLING HIS DADDY TO SAY YES.


ANGEL WAS HAPPY DEVLIN DIDN’T HIT HER LAST NIGHT. SHE DIDN’T THINK SHE COULD EXPLAIN MORE BRUISES. DEVLIN LEFT ABOUT FIVE THIS MORNING. ANGEL WAS DEBATING WHEN TO CALL WHEN THE PHONE RANG, “HELLO.”
“ANGEL IT’S SERENA.”
“I WAS JUST FIXING TO CALL YOU BUT IT DIDN’T KNOW IF YOU WERE UP YET.”
“CHILD, I GET UP EVERY MORNING AT FOUR. I WAS CALLING TO SEE WHAT YOUR HUSBAND SAID ABOUT THE JOB. MY BOYS ARE FIXING TO TIE ME UP BY MY APRON STRING. COLE TOLD THEM HOW GOOD YOU COOK AND THEY TOLD ME I’M NOT ALLOWED TO COOK AGAIN.”
ANGEL LAUGHED AT THAT. “I’M SURE IT’S NOT THAT BAD, SERENA.”
“I TELL YOU MY HUSBAND IS EVEN IN ON IT. PLEASE SAY HE SAID YES, SO I CAN TELL THE BOYS SO THEY CAN GO TO WORK.”
ANGEL COULD ALMOST PICTURE THEM WAITING AROUND THE PHONE FOR THE ANSWER. “HE SAID YES.” ANGEL COULD HEAR THEM CHEERING IN THE BACK GROUND.
“QUITE BOYS!” SERENA YELLED OVER THE NOISE. “SORRY DEAR, THEY ARE EXCITED.”
ANGEL WAS LAUGHING. “SERENA THERE IS A FEW PROBLEMS WITH ME TAKING THIS JOB.” SHE SAID SOFTLY.
“WHAT PROBLEMS DEAR?”
“WELL JIMMY WOULD HAVE TO COME WITH ME, AND I DON’T DRIVE.” ANGEL SAID HOPING THAT WOULDN’T STOP HER FROM GETTING THE JOB.
“I’M SURE JIMMY WOULD BE NO TROUBLE AND SOMEONE IS ALWAYS GOING TO TOWN FOR SOMETHING SO IT WOULD BE NO PROBLEM PICKING YOU AND JIMMY UP. CAN YOU COME OVER TO DAY AND TALK?” SERENA SAID PUTTING ANGELS FEARS TO REST.
“SURE, WHEN CAN YOU SEND SOMEONE?” SHE COULD HERE SERENA ASKING ONE OF HER SONS.
“ANGEL, COLE WILL BE THERE IN ABOUT AN HOUR. IS THAT OKAY WITH YOU?”
“SURE, WE’LL BE READY THEN. GOOD BYE.”
“BYE DEAR.” ANGEL WAS GLAD IT WAS COLE AND NOT ONE OF THE OTHER BOYS COMING FOR HER. SHE KNEW COLE, AND SHE IS SHY AROUND MEN.
AS SERENA HUNG UP THE PHONE SHE SAID, “COLE WHEN YOU PICK UP ANGEL, DO NOT MENTION THE BRUISES TO HER.”
“I WON’T SAY ANYTHING TO HER. I DON’T THINK I COULD WITHOUT GETTING ANGRY.” SERENA KNEW COLE HAD A BAD TEMPER, BUT SHE KNEW HE KNEW HOW TO CONTROL IT.
“OKAY SON, I TRUST YOU. SEE YOU WHEN GET BACK BE SAFE.” SERENA WATCHED COLE WALK TO THE TRUCK. SHE REMEMBERS THE FIGHTS HE AND HIS BROTHERS USE TO GET IN AT SCHOOL. COLE WAS THE SLOW ONE TO GET ANGRY, BUT WHEN HE DID HE WENT FULL FORCE. SHE HAD IN COUNCELING AND THAT HAD HELPED BUT SHE WAS STILL WORRIED.
COLE GOT TO ANGEL HOUSE IN ABOUT 45 MINUTES. WHEN HE GOT THERE HE COULD SEE JIMMY WAIT OUT SIDE. COLE COULD SEE HOW HAPPY HE WAS. JIMMY WAS JUMPING UP AND DOWN AS HE GOT OUT THE TRUCK. “HEY, MISTER COLE. MOM, MISTER COLE IS HERE!”
“BE THERE IN A SECOND.” HE HEARD ANGEL CALL FROM THE HOUSE.
“MISTER COLE DO YOU HAVE A HORSE?”
“YES I DO. WHY DO YOU ASK?”
“I’VE NEVER SEEN A HORSE EXCEPT FOR PICTURES. ARE THEY REALLY BIG?”
“SOME CAN BE HOW ABOUT WHEN WE GET BACK I SHOW YOU MIDNIGHT. IF YOUR MOM SAYS IT IS OKAY. “
“IF I SAY OKAY ABOUT WHAT?”
“CAN GO LOOK AT MISTER COLE’S HORSE WHEN WE GET TO THE RANCH, PLEASE?”
“WE’LL SEE.”
“THAT MEANS NO.” JIMMY SAYS UNDER HIS BREATH. ANGEL TURNS HIM AROUND.
“THAT MEANS WE’LL SEE.”
“WITH DADDY, THAT MEANS NO.”
“I’M NOT YOUR DADDY AM I?”
“SORRY MAMA.”
ANGEL KISSED HIM ON THE FOREHEAD. “IT IS OKAY, SON.” COLE HELPED JIMMY AND ANGEL IN THE TRUCK. JIMMY ASKED HIM EVERY QUESTION HE COULD ABOUT THE HORSE ON THE RANCH. COLE ANSWERED EVERYONE OF THEM. ANGEL WAS IMPRESSED WITH COLE AND HOW HE MADE JIMMY THE CENTER OF ATTENTION. DEVLIN NEVER DONE THAT. HE WOULD ONLY SAY GO TO YOUR ROOM. SHE DIDN’T KNOW WHY HE DONE THAT, BUT HE HATED IT.
ANGEL REMINDED JIMMY TO BE ON HIS BEST BEHAVIOR WHEN THEY PULLED INTO THE YARD. SHE SAW SERENA ON THE PORCH WITH AND OLDER VERSION OF COLE. AS THEY GOT OUT THE TRUCK SERENA SAID, “ANGEL, COME ONE IN.”
AS ANGEL WALKED UP ON THE PORCH SERENA INTRODUCED HER HUSBAND. “ANGEL THIS IS MY HUSBAND JOE.” “HELLO.” ANGEL SAID SHAKING HIS HAND.
“HELLO ANGEL WELCOME TO ROCKING C RANCH.”
“MOM CAN I GO LOOK AT THE HORSES?”
“SORRY THIS IS MY SON JIMMY. JIMMY SAY HELLO.”
“HELLO, NOW CAN I GO LOOK AT THE HORSES?”
“ANGEL, WHY DON’T YOU LET ME TAKE HIM WHILE YOU TALK TO MY MOM.” COLE SAID.
“IF YOUR SURE IT IS NO TROUBLE.”
“NO TROUBLE I’M WORKING IN THE BARN TO DAY AND I COULD USE THE HAND.”
ANGEL WAS WORRIED JIMMY WAS GOING TO BE IN THE WAY. SERENA SAID HE WOULD BE JUST FINE. “YOU LISTEN TO MISTER COLE.”
“YES MAMA. CAN I RIDE A HORSE?”
“NO RIGHT NOW MAYBE LATER.”
“PLEASE MOM.”
“YEAH PLEASE MOM.” COLE SAID. “I PROMISE TO BE CAREFUL.”
ANGEL WAS LAUGHING AT COLE TRYING TO MAKE PUPPY DOG EYES LIKE JIMMY. “OKAY STOP WITH THE EYES.” SERENA LAUGHED ALONG WITH THEM. SHE FIGURED ANGEL DIDN’T LAUGH MUCH AND COULD TELL HOW MUCH SHE NEEDED IT. ANGEL TOLD JIMMY TO LISTEN AND WATCH THEM WALK TO THE BARN

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Tag der Veröffentlichung: 22.06.2011

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