“Good. Don’t let her in. Under any circumstances. Johanna, you do not go out anywhere without Marcus. How have you handled trips to the shops and taking Lizzie with you?”
“We have called my mum and she’s cared for Lizzie. We felt it was safe when we went to the maternity shop a few days ago…”
“No, my dear. No more. Millie will be very angry after her group have been kicked about like a football. If she sees you buying groceries, paying bills or buying clothing, I am afraid that she will go after Lizzie. Keep calling your mum - given that Millie’s our daughter, she comes round unexpectedly, so…”
“We don’t allow Millie to have access to Lizzie as it is, dad. Lizzie is afraid of her…”
“Daddy? No like…auntie,” Lizzie says as her lower lip trembles.
I scoop her up and cuddle her, rocking her in my arms.
“See? She refuses to be around her auntie,” Marcus points out.
“Andrew, I believe children can pick out the feelings of others and sense when someone doesn’t like them. Lizzie is no exception. She has been afraid of a certain someone almost since she met her,” I say.
“Children possess almost a sixth sense,” Ruby says. “They know when someone likes them - or not. I…I truly hate to say this, but I don’t think Millie likes Lizzie at all.”
“Mum, do you remember the time when Millie grabbed Lizzie out of Johanna’s arms? D’you remember Lizzie’s reaction?” Marcus asks.
“Kicking, screaming and fighting. But Millie has brought this upon herself. Nobody did it for her,” Ruby says.
“Marcus, Millie and I spoke just a few days ago. She is talking about returning to the States. She says she doesn’t think she can ‘do God’s work’ here because England is just so ‘overrun with evil and evil people.’ I sat her down and asked her if she would be willing to reconsider her beliefs and attitudes toward others. She asked me to specify what I meant when I said ‘others.’ I told her lesbians, transgendered and gays, immigrants, minorities and artists. She gave me what I can only describe as a…superior look. Then, she shook her head and said, ‘no.’ She said these people are all doing Satan’s work and they need to be eradicated. I asked her about the groups she belonged to in the U.S., and she told me she still belonged to them. She was very open, saying that the protest and petition are similar to efforts carried out in the States.”
This news chills me. Marcus shows me Internet articles about some of these groups, and some of what they do is…hateful! They protest outside women’s health centers, abortion clinics, state legislatures, wherever they believe their message must be heard. I have also heard of “lone wolf” members who have killed doctors who provide abortion services. I begin to feel sick at my stomach.
Ruby sees me go pale and she runs to the kitchen and gets water for me.
I accept the glass and drink it, but my body still shakes.
“D’you think she has the potential to act violently?” I ask. I dread the answer!
“Jo, I don’t know.” Marcus lets out a deep sigh. “She’s my sister and I still love her. I guess I always will. But, given what she has got herself mixed up in, I just don’t trust her or her group of people.”
“Johanna, I hope she doesn’t hurt you,” says Andrew. “But, honestly, I have been researching these groups. They hold a very literal view of the Holy Bible and they expect everyone to follow their very narrow views. Anyone who does not is seen as disobeying the will of God, and even when these people hold religious views and attend church, they are still seen as disobedient to God’s will. I don’t want to get too long-winded here, but these groups all believe they have the blessing of God to act out violently against those whom they perceive to be disrespecting the will of God. That would include artists and musicians, of course. No matter that you attend services and are faithful to Marcus - you are an artist, therefore you are separated from God and must be dealt with accordingly. Johanna, I tell you this only so you can protect yourself, the baby and this sweet child here.”
I breathe in and out, forcing myself to breathe from my diaphragm. I have to control my body’s reaction! As I am doing so, we hear a now-familiar and very insistent honking.
Lizzie whimpers and clambers onto Marcus’ lap.
Marcus stands and gives Lizzie to Andrew, saying, “I’ll deal with her.”
“Marcus, she’s likely to have seen our car. Johanna, here’s Lizzie. I’m going out with Marcus to talk to her,” says Andrew.
Lizzie launches herself into my lap, trembling. My heart sinks down and I feel for my baby girl.
Ruby and I sit inside, listening to what is being said outside.
“Johanna, if you don’t mind, I’ll take Lizzie upstairs. She doesn’t need to hear any of this. Would you like to come up with us?” Ruby asks.
“Actually, I’m feeling a little better now. I think I’m going outside with Marcus and Andrew. If you would stay upstairs with Lizzie, I think she’d feel protected…”
After Ruby and Lizzie go to Lizzie’s room, I get my cell phone and walk slowly outside. I feel better, but this doesn’t mean that I’m eager to face my sister-in-law. I see Andrew and Marcus standing at the locked gate. Millie is standing on the opposite side of the gate and she is as angry as I have ever seen her!
“I want to know why you are here, visiting her and her brat! For all you know, the brat in the house and the one she’s carrying don’t even belong to your son! They may even have different fathers!”
“Millie, if you would wait, I want to show you something,” Marcus says, raising one finger. “Johanna!”
“I’m fine, sweetheart. I’ll go with you, then I’m coming back outside,” I say.
Marcus takes my hand and we walk inside, hand-in-hand. He pulls the paternity test results out of the desk drawer where he put them for safekeeping.
Back outside, Marcus shows Millie the envelope, with the name of the testing lab plainly printed on the front.
“Before you go thinking you instilled doubt in my mind about Johanna’s faithfulness, know this, Millie: Johanna suggested we do just what you said - get a paternity test and show you the results. I have two tests, one for Lizzie and one for the baby not yet born. D’you remember I asked you if you had ever looked into Lizzie’s eyes? If you recognized them? She has the same intense-green eyes that I do. Oh. Before I show this to you, both tests stay in my hands on this side of the gate. I have made copies. Read them.”
Millie’s greedy eyes scan through the report. At the bottom, when she reads that there is a “99.999999 percent” chance that Marcus is the father, she flushes a dull red. Marcus pulls out the second paternity testing result. This one is for the baby I am now carrying. As with Lizzie’s test, this one reads that there is a “99.999999 percent” chance that Marcus is the baby’s father. Millie begins breathing heavily.
“This means nothing. She got to them and she convinced them to change the test results. She knows when she has it good, and she has it good with you.”
Hah! Little does she know that I had much more money in savings than Marcus when we met and married! I am a well-known musician with platinum hit records. Where does she think we got the money to buy the house we are living in? Not that I don’t value my husband and his work, but I make hundred-times over what Marcus makes. We certainly don’t live like the millionaires that we are, but Marcus has always been very supportive of me and my career and he doesn’t make an issue with the fact that I am the breadwinner of the family. Obviously, Millie doesn’t “get” this. She must think I am some little poor rocker chick that mooches off my husband. What a joke!
Marcus turns and takes my hand and tells Millie exactly would I was just thinking!
“Millie, you’re willing to believe whatever it takes for you to feel good about yourself, and I feel sorry for you. Johanna’s band was a big success when we met. Their U.S. tour and European tour, along with their three CDs have been highly successful, so she is actually worth more financially than I am. A lot more! Even though my own earnings as a freelance tech writer have skyrocketed, she is still worth more than I am. And you know what? I don’t care about the money…and neither does she. We live comfortably and don’t flash our riches like some people do. We are devoted to our family and that is all that matters. What you are doing is hurtful to us. These children are mine. The paternity testing says so. And the fact that Johanna said we should go ahead and have the testing done tells me, more than anything, that she is very secure in her faithfulness to me as her husband. I love her and I am very happy with her. You are not going to break us up. Not today, and not ever. You are not going to be successful in forcing The Lonely Lovers to disband. They are well-known all around the world, and fans love them. They have gone triple-platinum on their second CD and are ready to release a third CD. Millie, you have made a very serious mistake in going after the band and my family. I find it especially pathetic that you went after an unborn infant - you, who profess to love God so much. You need to look at your actions, attitudes and behavior. Because they need serious changing. I have researched the groups to which you belonged while you lived in the United States. So has dad. Groups like these have committed murder, claiming it was ‘in the name of God.’ It is not ‘love,’ when you target specific groups and go after them because they are different. A case in point is Laslow’s friend, Victor. Another - immigrants. Still another - minorities. I get the distinct smell that you pick on groups you perceive to be weaker than you are, and that is not ‘love,’ Millie. That is hatred and discrimination. You are my sister, and I love you. But I will not stand by and tolerate these actions against me, my wife, or my family. If you don’t stop harassing us, I will have to take matters a step further and have restraining order placed against you!”
As Marcus talks, I watch Millie’s face closely. Her normal expression is a “sourpuss.” Now, this expression seems to multiply itself - her eyebrows draw down, the lines from her nose to the corners of her mouth deepen and her frown grows progressively darker. Her eyes fasten on me and she allows them to rove over my figure.
I am wearing a maternity outfit consisting of soft, gray yoga pants and a short-sleeved top that gently drapes over my rounded belly. I now visibly show.
“I will never believe that this slut conceived either brat with you. Artists are, as a group, immoral and they do what they want when it feels good, no matter that it hurts others. I am sorry, Marcus - sorry that you are allowing this little chippie to pull the wool over your eyes. She is making a mockery of your role as the head of your family, and, when you realize that, don’t come to me, because I have already told you so.”
Millie directs her next comments to me.
“And, as for you, I know you feel safe behind this gate. But rest assured - one day, you will be out and about. Then, you will face your reckoning.” After she says this, Millie turns on her heel, gets into her car and drives off. Obviously, she didn’t get what Marcus was trying to tell her. Did she not just hear him?
“Marcus! Her last sentence - was that a threat?” I ask, feeling breathless again.
“That’s how I take it. Okay, that’s it…dad, I have to call the police,” Marcus says.
“Do it. She made a threat to your wife. Johanna, come with me,” says Andrew.
“Jo, let me use your phone, please,” Marcus says.
I hand him my phone and he calls emergency services.
I walk into my house behind Andrew, who gives me a bottle of water. Putting his hands on my shoulders, he guides me to a chair and makes me sit down.
“Johanna, you’re like my own daughter. I would never have imagined my own blood and flesh making such a threat. I want you to promise me that you will not go out and about by yourself. You also need to call your own mum and dad and let them know what’s just happened. Good, here comes Marcus…she needs to call her parents. They need to know,” points out Andrew.
I use my phone to call mum and dad.
“Mum? Something’s happened. No, not the baby. Ruby and Andrew came round to visit and see Lizzie, and we talked about the concert and Millie’s response. Well, Millie came round, too. She got into a row with Marcus. Ruby went upstairs with Lizzie - that’s where they are now. Marcus told Millie where she had gone wrong. She…mum, she threatened me! We’ve called emergency services and the police are on their way…right, Marcus?”
“Yes, they should be here soon,” Marcus says.
“Oh, my God! Your dad and I are on our way. Tell Ruby and Andrew to stay there. Oh, my God!” My mum hangs up, supposedly to come round.
Ten minutes later, Marcus is letting the police and my mum and dad into the house. We send Ruby upstairs with Lizzie once more, after promising Lizzie that she will be able to visit with her other grandparents.
“Mum, dad, she said I would ‘face my reckoning,’ that I shouldn’t go out and about by myself. She still believes that I am…a slut, that I sleep around and that the babies aren’t Marcus’ children.” I break down into sobs. This has just been too, too much for me! I can’t take this anymore.
“Okay, ma’am, I’m going to talk to your husband and father-in-law. I’ll need to talk to you as well,” says a female police officer. She goes into the kitchen with Andrew and Marcus.
Mum and I cuddle on the couch as I try to get a grip on myself.
“Are you better, Jo? Do you need to see the doctor? This is a big shock to your system,” mum says.
“I’m just frightened. I would never have imagined that this could happen, mum! Why? Why did she threaten me?”
“She hates the idea of who and what you are. I think she’ll either be arrested or made to stay away from you, somehow. Oh, here’s the officer. May I stay, please? She’s really frightened,” mum says.
“Yes, that’s fine. Mrs. Hadley, I’ve just spoken to your husband. Apparently, there’s a history of his sister verbally attacking you, ever since she returned to the U.K., right?”
I nod.
“What specifically has she said?”
I tell her, ending with the obtuse threat.
“Okay, that’s what your husband and father-in-law said. I am going to talk to my immediate supervisor. That she’s a minister here in Saint Albans and she threatened a family member…my guess is that I will end up going out to speak with her and give her a warning to steer clear of you, your husband and daughter. I am going to ask you to steer clear of her as well. Something about you antagonizes her. When she’s round your in-laws’ home, you stay away. Mr. and Mrs. Hadley, when your son and daughter-in-law are round your house, your daughter needs to stay away. Is that clear?”