Chicago - October 7, 1993

As Frank was getting up and doing the morning bed checks on his kids, he was bombarded by a hug from 21 year old Viviana Ruffino.

"Thank you for showing me that I'm not a lost cause. Thank you for saving me." She told him.

Frank hugged her back, "Of course, Viv. You know, I love you."

"I love you too." Viviana replied, squeezing him a little tighter, "And I'm sorry that sometimes I need reminding of the fact that my life has a purpose. That my past doesn't define me."

"It's no trouble, mon amor." Frank uttered as he kissed her temple.

Most of Frank's followers didn't initially come to Mount Horeb for any kind of Biblical truth. That was something they found along the way. Most of them were there because they needed a place to stay, were looking for family, or running from an abusive situation. But for Viviana, Frank's ninth wife and the mother of 7 month old Gianni, her reason was a little different.

Viviana was born in Italy as Viviana Beatrice Ruffino. She had a good early childhood, but as she approached her preteen years things progressed dramatically. Her life got worse and she began to hate it. She hated being alive, and knew that she had to get out. She came over to the U.S as an exchange student in high school. Her host family was lovely, but she knew they weren't her home either. As Viviana got older her mental state dropped lower and lower.

As graduation was approaching, seventeen year old Viviana married a guy from her high school to get citizenship. He was just an average guy. He wasn't rich, but she didn't care. She didn't want to be taken care of. She didn't mind working. She just didn't want to go back to Italy. She didn't want to go back to the uncle that had molested her when she was eleven and twelve years old, and raped her at thirteen. That was why she applied to be an exchange student when she got to high school and stayed for all four years.

The guy she married turned out to not be who she thought he was, but she was scared to divorce him and lose her citizenship. However, he ended up divorcing her and she fell lower than she ever had before. The night that Viviana almost ended it all was the same night that she had met Frank. He brought her to Mount Horeb. She was barely eighteen years old then, and now three years later she was wife to the prophet. She was a mother to the son of the prophet. She felt so blessed, so lucky, that he chose her. Or rather that God chose her for His beloved prophet.

"Where's GiGi?" Frank asked her

"Oh, he's with Harriet." Viviana replied

Harriet Nicole Stevens is the 9 year old daughter of 39 year old Harrison Jacob Stevens - the older brother to Teresa and Mary. Harriet loves her cousins. She considers all of Frank's kids to be her cousins, not just the ones that Frank has with her two aunts Teresa and Mary.

Frank nodded, "Oh. That's good. Ettie loves the little babies."

"Yeah. They're having fun."

Meanwhile in the backyard with 15 year old Lottie Florence Barker. She's Frank's tenth wife. He took her as his wife in January of this year, just after her fifteenth birthday. Lottie is also three months pregnant. She's from England, and like Sheila and Viviana, she has her own story for why she's at Mount Horeb. Why she came from England to Chicago.

Lottie came to Chicago two years ago with her now 17 year old brother Zachary Theodore. Her brother had heard about Frank from a friend and wanted to learn about what it was that he was teaching. Lottie is very close with her brother. She'd follow him to the ends of the Earth and back again. Their parents came with them, but didn't understand the teachings, nor did they take the time to understand why Frank had so many kids. Lottie and her brother wanted to stay, so their parents went back to England, leaving the then thirteen year old Lottie and fifteen year old Zachary behind. It didn't matter though. In the Bible, women were having children around that age. People were considered adults at that age, and they - the People of Mount Horeb - live by the rules of the Bible. Not by the rules of man.

Lottie loved sitting in the backyard early in the morning because it was quiet and peaceful. She was very mature for her age. She didn't see the point in playing all those little girl games that some of the other young teens hadn't seemed to grow out of. That's why Frank had chosen her and not someone else, like Jeanette Anderson, who was the same age as Lottie.

Suddenly Lottie's peace and quiet was interrupted by 12 year old Matthew Edward Stevens and 11 year old Kyler Samuel Stevens rushing out into the backyard with 9 year old Jonathan Marcelo Sanchez and 8 year old Honest Gallagher trailing not too far behind them. They were coming out to play tag.

Watching the boys - one of which is her step-son - play, Lottie thought about how it's crazy how one decision could change your life forever. She almost didn't get to experience this. She almost didn't get to be Frank's wife or be carrying one of his special children.

Her parents had wanted to take her back to England with them when they left. They thought she was too young to be staying in a foreign country alone. That was until her brother talked to them, and reminded them that she wouldn't be alone. He promised them that he would watch over her. It was all because of him that she was getting to experience this. That she was getting to learn the truth. She truly felt so blessed and lucky.

Back inside, Frank and Viviana were holding hands as they headed to the living room where Harriet and 10 year old Theodosia Wilkins were playing with Gianni and Evensong. Before they even got to the living room, they could hear the sounds of voices - laughter and giggles.

Theodosia Rose Wilkins has an interesting story. She had been found last year living on the streets with her junkie mother. There was no father in the picture and no one seemed to care about her, so Frank brought her to Mount Horeb. They have never heard from her mother.

"Hey kids." Frank greeted

"Hi Uncle Francis." Harriet replied, holding Gianni. Now talking to the baby, she said, "GiGi, say hi Daddy. Say hi Dada."

Theodosia, who was holding Evensong, glanced up, smiling, "Hi Saint Francis."

"You guys having fun?" Viviana wondered

Harriet nodded, "Yeah."

Theodosia didn't say anything. She just nodded. Theodosia hadn't spoken much when she was first brought to Mount Horeb or make eye contact. She's gotten better with the eye contact thing, but she still doesn't talk much.

"Right. Well, I love you girls." Frank added

"Love you too, Uncle Francis."

Hope you enjoy. Comments are greatly appreciated.

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