SHAWNEY WAS CURIOUS
It was after two when Shawney and the lawyer stepped out of her room. Pondering within his heart, 'Now that all her transaction is completed, she will move on and from what I overheard this morning. She is the one responsible for changing her father's will, ensuring that her family is secure.'
With all efforts failed to meet her Train relaxed by the pool thinking, 'The entire day had almost gone, and there was never an opportunity for a meeting. I don't want to confuse her any more than she is already confused.'
Lying unconcern with his eyes closed by the pool, lost in his thoughts when he felt the touch on his shoulder.
Thinking it was someone who came to quarry concerning his meal, he opened his eyes. Seeing Shawney standing in front of him, he was stunned, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes were cold and serious. Ignoring her eyes he admires how simply she dresses in a white lace jersey, black dress pants and flat black leather sandals.
Train said softly, "Yes ma'am, was it something you wanted?"
Shawney's eyes never left his face wanting to know if he was sincere in his words, "Mr Mac Carty, can you tell me exactly what you want or need? And please believe me when I say if I figure out that you are lying to me. Then you are out of here before nightfall?"
Train smiles sweetly, "Please forgive me, child, if you feel I was snooping around. But the honest truth is, I wanted to speak with you privately, without any interruptions."
Without hesitating, Shawney became very curious and anxious, "We are alone now so you can speak freely."
Train ponders deep within his heart, saying a silent prayer, 'Lord, I know You have answered my prayers please put words in my mouth, it might be my one and only opening to release what's in my heart.'
"Child, I can see there's no one around now, but just suppose someone drops by and overhears my conversation. I really don't want my personal matter to circulate around, but the matter I want to discuss with you is very personal and confidential."
Shawney's only concern right now is the property and he said personal and confidential but just to be on the safe side. Train notices the frown on her brows and she seems to be thinking about something before she replies, "Tell me if this has anything to do with my property?"
"No! My child, you see I am faced with a predicament and that first day when I saw you, I realized then that you might be the only person to assist me."
Seeing the shock and confused look in her almond-shaped eyes, "Me, what can I do, we don't know each other?"
Train calmly said, "That is so true child, and it was never my intention to be snoopy. When I came here, I only came with one motive in mind. You see my predicament is, that my eldest Son, he is unwell and will be discharged from the hospital next weekend."
Holding Shawney's hand as desperation engulfs his heart, "Shawney, my Son has a five-year-old Son and a two-year-old daughter who doesn't know of their father's existence."
Shawney seeing the tears wants to know why, but instead asks, "So where is the children's mother, Sir?"
As he brushes the tears aside he says, "My daughter-in-law passed away giving birth to baby Gretta. And that's what has driven my son out of his mind. Child, one of the problems is that I also have three other children with my second wife.
You see, my Torren was only three years old when his mother died. Two years later I met Nancy, who became my second wife, thinking she loved my Torren."
Wiping his face once more, "If only I knew she was faking her love for my child, I would have never remarried. I never knew she tortured my child until one day I was unwell and returned home unexpectedly. Only to see what my child had to endure in my absence."
Shawney that rage remains with my son, you see when he cannot control that rage he smashes things. Only Dalia was able to comfort him and keep him calm."
SHAWNEY INTEREST WAS PIQUED
Shawney tried desperately to understand his predicament, but what was bothering her was, 'What does his problem have to do with her.'
Being the caring person she was she asks out of concern, "Sir, from what you are saying, I can see and understand your predicament but I am very sorry. You don't know me, and I don't know you or your son. So why are you telling me all of these things?"
Knowing it was now or never, Train continues to explain, "You see my child you could solve my problem, when I saw you my heart was overjoyed, at first my intention was to offer you a proposal."
Shawney interest was piqued, "A proposal, I don't quite understand what you are saying, Sir."
Train saw her confusion and wanted to share what was in his heart, "You see my child, I have been on the road for almost six months looking for the right person for my Son. From what I have observed you don't seem happy here, and are ready to travel. My Proposal was for you to return with me to my home and see my son first."
Confused by what she was hearing, Shawney just stared at him in amazement, When he continued speaking, "I wanted to get someone to marry him, but I know now you will not agree to that proposal. I beg you if you marry my Torren, you gain to inherit all that I have."
Shawney laughs, recalling all the other suitors only wanted what she had. And here this gentleman is offering to give her all he had. Piquing her interest even more she asks, "And can you explain to me what you have that I am lacking?"
Train observed how she waved her hand so proudly indicating her property.
Becoming dumbstruck for a second, he responds, "Well, it's not as enormous as yours, now that I learned that you attain this vast inheritance. But I know you are planning to leave very soon. So I beg you please come with me, I promise, you will not regret it."
Shawney was curious to know what he was willing to give up for his son's happiness, "And where do you live, Sir?"
Hearing her question Train felt a bit relieved, "Child, I live in San Francisco"
With a nod, Shawney said, "I see, I have never visited San Francisco before, and how long did you say you were on the road?"
Realizing he had piqued her interest, he repeated what he had said before."I left home about six months ago."
Out of curiosity, she asks, "Okay, if I were to return with you, what challenges await me?"
With that thought in mind, Train didn't hesitate. "I have Jeff who is the eldest among the three. Carl is the second and Candis is the last from my second marriage.
Torren worships them growing up as a young man. You see child, Torren is the one that took care of them."
Shawney observes how he wiped the tears once again saying. "Sometimes when I hear them ill speaking him by themselves. I could hear the hatred in their tone of voices."
Seeing his tears weaken Shawney, but getting involved is not a wise decision. "So tell me, Mr Mac Carty, say out of curiosity I did what you ask? What sort of humiliation will I have to undergo if we were to get married?"
Telling her the truth Train said, "Child, I know Dalia had a difficult time with them."
"But didn't your son give her moral support, Sir?" Shawney asks out of concern.
Train knew from the moment he saw this child she was not stupid, "My Son Torren is a different child."
"What I want to know Sir is, did he or did he not support his wife?" Shawney wanted to know and understand his predicament more clearly.
"Shawney, My child, Torren never failed when it comes to giving her his moral support. There was always controversy with the others. Especially when they provided evidence to support their accusation.
What could he have done, sometimes it was hard having to make decisions to ensure peace. And it was never an easy task on his path having to choose, knowing everyone is not pleased. Most of the time Torren used to become very angry when he had to sway on their side."
Holding her hand once more in his before he said. "Many times he begs Dalia not to backchat them. My child, she and she alone understand what it was like having to face the elder boy, the girl, and Torren's anger. I understand what she had to endure, but she was so set on her way that she left him no choice at times."
"Hearing your dilemma Sir is heartbreaking and very saddening, between you and I, I really wish I could assist you. But I hope you will understand, I can't see myself in the midst of a situation like that. I can tolerate it if my family hurts me because I control my temper. But when others do things to hurt me in any way, I have to stand up and defend myself."
"You are right my child, I wouldn't want my own daughter to endure something that will break her spirit. Much less someone else child to undergo all that unnecessary humiliation and problem."
Sympitizing with him Shawney comforted him as much as she could, "Mister, I know you didn't want to hear that for an answer, as you know I travel around, never staying in one place for long. Look, I promise you if at any time I visit San Francisco and your invitation is an open one. I will stop by and visit you as a friend."
Feeling this joy in his heart Train said, "Oh yes! child, you will be welcome anytime at my home. But do you have plans of visiting San Francisco any time soon?"
Without any hesitation, she replies, "No, but I could change my mind anytime. I am a free agent, where I am led, there I go."
Confused by her words Train asks, "What do you mean, child?"
SHAWNEY SHARED HER EXPERIENCE
SShawney couldn't help but observe the furrowing of his brow in confusion. To give him a clearer view of what she meant, she explained, "Well as you said before, I am ready to travel which I love very much. I feel stifled when I stay in one place for too long."
Seeing his puzzlement growing gradually, Shawney continues, "Sir, what you don't know is, that I visit small villages doing missionary work. Sometimes I stay a week in a village, sometimes longer. Anywhere night meet me I sleep. I have no particular place to stay, sleep, or visit."
Train was stunned by what he heard, becoming very concerned and worried, he queried, "And child, how did your Dad accept that?"
When she chuckles and responds, "Mister, I never told my Dad how rugged it was out there. He begged me to leave my home because of how my family ill-treated me, so I left. What was there to tell?"
Train recalled the words her uncle was sharing with the others, they all believed it was a lie but hearing the child saying the very same thing caused his heart to faint a bit.
Ignoring his silence Shawney smiled and said, "Sir, the truth is, I never told him what I faced out there because he would worry. What I didn't expect though, was to return to an empty house. Now I have nothing to stay here for any longer."
Hearing the sadness in her voice, he realized. 'How hard it must have been for her all alone. When I thought my child had suffered a lot, this child had to endure so much more, and she is so strong.' "But child, you have your brothers and sisters, and your Uncle loves you a lot."
Shawney smiled, concealing how her family treated her, she alone knew how these ungrateful families loved her, she alone knew how much she had to endure because of them. She alone knew how difficult it was to leave he dad and her comfortable home and face the gruesome world without any support.
"I know and understand they love me in their ways, and Sir, at times I even get homesick. Now, I am sure you have observed how they express their love to me. Living on the road it's so much different, and I can say satisfying at times, but I don't mind."
Train wanted to comfort her seeing how broken she was, the tears behind her beautiful peach-blossom eyes were covered by her fake smile. "But child, what sort of life will you have living on the street like that? When you have all the comfort right here in your own home?"
Shawney felt her heart pierce, 'someone who didn't know her could understand, yet the people she slaved over for years only took her for granted.'
"I understand fully well what you are saying Sir, and I even appreciate your concern. You see Mister. at the end of the day, I help someone who is in need when I am on the road. Home here is different, all of them only want, and give nothing in return. Which I detest very much, but they are my family and I love them very much. I like what I do, and it is very rewarding at times."
"You mean like your father's inheritance?"
Train noticed her hesitation before she began speaking. When she said, "Not exactly Mister, this is an inheritance my parent left for me. As you may know already it's my money that was invested. But when you help people that are really in need. There is this joy deep within that makes you feel fulfilled, and gives you great satisfaction."
Train couldn't believe what he was hearing, "Let me share this small testimony with you, then you might have a better understanding of what I am talking about. Mister once I was visiting this little village. It had this elderly woman, she could barely move around, and she was happy to have someone to talk to. So, I sit and talk with her for a long while. As time slowly slipped away I became hungry. Sir, all that woman had to offer me was a glass of water, which I took thanking God."
"I had only drunk half when she started coughing. Hurrying to get her some water from her kitchen. Only to realize that it was the last she had and her cupboards were empty. I hurried back to her giving her the remaining water from my glass. Mister, I could not leave her in the condition she was in. So I stayed with her that night, only to learn later that night as we spoke. The only means of getting water was when the rain fell, and it didn't fall in months. All her children live around her but they are busy with their own families and they ignore her."
"Mister, I had prayed silently that night that the Lord would send rain and fill all her empty barrels. It was not too long after the rain began falling and it filled all her barrels. I didn't hesitate at the time knowing that God had heard my prayer. I wash all her barrels and let it full."
"Every can and bucket, Mister everything that could hold water I filled it up and covered it. When I leave her home a week later you won't believe the beautiful gift the woman gave me. All because I bathe her, wash and clean her home, make her groceries, cook and feed her. She was so much stronger and was able once more to help herself."
Holding his hand she says, "The people we trust the most, and make them feel we depend on them. They are the ones that hurt us the most. You may ask why I say that, it is because all that elderly woman had, she distributed among her children and grandchildren equally. And in return no one used to offer her a mouthful of food or a drink of water. Yet she had given to them in the hope that they would care for her. So tell me, why is it they couldn't attend to her needs?"