Page 61 of Corrupt Obsession

Her only defense was that what happened between her and Jesse had been such a shocking turn of events that it eclipsed what happened with Tucker. So much so, she had completely dismissed him from her mind. From Tucker’s point of view, Jesse had attacked him without provocation. She had been willing, and then her overprotective brother beat the crap out of him. If Tucker told his side of the story, Mom and Dad would hear about the compromising position Jesse found her in.

Her stomach lurched. She shot to her feet and put her ear to the bedroom door, but she couldn’t hear anything. What was Jesse telling them? Why was it taking so long? Why was silencemore ominous than shouting and glass breaking? Were their parents in shock? Is that why she couldn’t hear their reaction?

Consumed by the need to do something, she started organizing her backpack and was so deep in her head, she didn’t hear the door open.

“Violet?”

She whirled to find Lynne peeking her head around the door.

“Are you ready for church?”

Lynne wasn’t smiling, but there was no sign that she’d been crying. Lynne didn’t look horrified, disappointed, or revolted, just weary. That was a good sign, wasn’t it?

“Yes, I’m ready.”

As Mom slipped back into the hallway, she dashed through the bathroom to Jesse’s room, but he wasn’t there. She hurried down the hallway only to find the living and dining room also empty. What theheck?

“They’re waiting for us in the car,” Mom said.

She opened her mouth to ask questions but thought better of it and stayed quiet. She had to talk to Jesse first. She flew down the steps and saw Dad behind the wheel of Mom’s car. She slipped into the back seat and glanced at Jesse, but he was looking out the window, giving her no clue as to what just happened. She buckled her seat belt and twisted her hand in the folds of her dress as she waited for someone to announce her sentence.

They were several minutes away from church when Dad finally spoke.

“We got in touch with Tucker’s parents, and thankfully it seems like there won’t be any long-term damage. Jesse offered to go to the hospital to apologize, but they didn’t want him there. They’ve decided not to press charges.” Dad’s hand cut through the air. “None of this is okay. Violence is never the answer and with something this serious, we should have been told insteadof being blindsided with a call like that. I expected better from both of you. As punishment for his actions, Jesse’s dropping out of football.”

She audibly gasped. Football was Jesse’s favorite sport, and he was one of the best players on the team. Last year, they made it to the national championship, and they were counting on Jesse to take them there again. Football was sacred in Texas and ranked just a few notches below church. She looked at Jesse for his reaction, but his face was still averted.

“Jesse claims that you weren’t involved.”

She looked in the rearview mirror. Although Dad wore sunglasses, she felt the impact of his stare.

“I don’t believe that for a second. You’re the common denominator here, and you break up with Tucker the day Jesse fights him?” Dad shook his head. “I’m revoking your dating privileges. You aren’t allowed to date for the rest of the school year. You also aren’t going out after school or on weekends for the foreseeable future.”

Lynne reached across the console and gripped Dad’s arm. “Isaac.”

Dad smacked the steering wheel, clearly still aggravated. “No! I’m not going to be lenient with her. I’ve done that far too much already and look where that’s got us. If Tucker’s parents chose to press charges, Jesse could have destroyed his future, all because he felt the need to defend his sister from a guy I knew she shouldn’t have been with! I’ll be damned if Violet turns out likeher.”

Violet went rigid. He didn’t say her name. In fact, he never had, but she knew exactly who he was referring to—the mother who left in the middle of the night when she was two. To suggest that she was anything like the selfish woman who had abandoned them hurt so badly, it stole her breath. She turnedher face toward the window so Dad wouldn’t see her face crumple.

“Violet made a mistake,” Lynne said into the loaded silence. “And Jesse made a mistake. They’ll be punished for keeping secrets, bad judgment, and they’ll have to earn back our trust. It’s a blessing that Tucker and his parents were so understanding. Let’s leave it at that.”

No one said another word as they pulled up to the church. Violet stepped out of the car and fussed with her dress to give herself time to get a hold on her volatile emotions. Lynne stood beside her and waited patiently. When she started toward the church, Lynne stroked her back. She didn’t meet anyone’s eyes as she walked up the steps and paused on the threshold, unsure if she should be allowed in the chapel after what she’d done this week. Several hundred years ago, she would have been stoned to death.

“Don’t take what your dad said to heart,” Lynne murmured as she put an arm around her waist. “He’s upset, but he’ll get past it. We all will.”

She swallowed the lump in her throat. She didn’t deserve Lynne’s sympathy or faith in her. Tucker was just the tip of the iceberg. If Mom knew what she and Jesse had done… She raised her head and saw Dad standing beside a pew, watching her hover on the threshold, almost as if he knew… Abruptly, he turned away and took a seat, staring straight ahead at the empty stage.

“Have faith,” Lynne encouraged as she started down the aisle to join Dad.

Someone came up behind her. Her heightened senses told her who it was, even though Jesse didn’t speak. She had so many questions, but this was neither the time nor place. And did it really matter what tale Jesse told? Dad knew she was to blame, even though Jesse tried to keep her out of it. The worst part was,Dad was right. It was her fault. They would discuss this later. First, they had to smile and maintain their image as a loving, Christian family.

She moved through the crowd and entered the pew her parents were sitting in from the opposite end. Jesse settled beside her. She nodded to those who greeted her and couldn’t avoid several hugs that made her feel even worse. They thought she was one of them. That she was still pure and good, and she wasn’t. Not by a long shot. She felt sick to her stomach.

“This message has been on my mind all week,” Pastor Sonny began, gravely eyeing the congregation. “How one sin can change the trajectory of your life. We assume one tiny sin won’t hurt, that no one will find out about it, but no sin escapes God’s notice.”

Violet resisted the urge to slouch in her seat as Pastor Sonny made eye contact with her.

“We’re going to examine the life of the great King David. He went from shepherd boy to king and was hailed as a mighty warrior, but one transgression robbed him of the blessing God had for him and caused the rest of his life to be plagued with pain and betrayal.” Pastor Sonny paused for effect before he continued, “Of course, I’m referring to his affair with Bathsheba.”

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