Chapter Fourteen- Reverend Camden to the Rescue
Reverend Camden was sitting at his desk staring off to space when his phone rang.
"Hello."
"Eric, it's Annie. Are you busy?"
"No, is there something you need?"
"I've been thinking about Jennifer all day, and I'm really afraid that she's in danger."
"I know, me too."
"When are you going to talk to her?"
"Right now. Goodbye."
Eric hung up the phone and grabbed his jacket, and his Bible. This could be a long visit. He drove to the Diner and walked in. He saw the owner, Mr. Fredrickson standing behind the counter and walked up to him.
"Hello Mr. Fredrickson, by any chance is Jennifer here?"
"Yes, her shift just ended. Would you like me to get her for you?"
"That would be great thanks." Mr. Fredrickson disappeared into the kitchen and the Reverend stood there nervously. He wanted to help Jennifer so bad, but he wasn't sure how he would handle it yet. When she walked out into the Diner his heart sunk, because he now knew the horrible truth of her past.
"Hi Reverend. Mr. Fredrickson said you wanted to speak with me?"
"Yes Jennifer. Is there anywhere we could go and talk in private?"
"Well, we could use Mr. Fredrickson's office, I'm sure he wouldn't mind. Right this way." Jen lead the way to the back office. Since the moment she saw Reverend Camden, she knew that he knew the truth. So Lucy had caved. She was afraid of that. Jennifer reminded herself never to trust someone again. They walked into the office and shut the door.
"Jennifer, first of all I want you to know that you're safe with my family and me."
"She told you didn't she, Lucy told you about me."
"Actually no, Lucy told Ruthie about you. But Ruthie was worried so she came to Annie and I."
"So everyone knows now?" Jennifer said, getting a little angry, "What am I going to do? They're going to find me, I know it."
"Everyone doesn't know. Just Annie, Lucy, Ruthie and myself. We didn't tell anyone else, not even Simon."
"That's the way I want it, I don't want him to know yet."
"I understand that Jennifer, but right now the most important thing is your safety."
"My safety? I would be safe if I wouldn't have told anyone the truth. Especially Lucy." Jen spat back.
"Jennifer, Lucy cares about you very deeply. So do the rest of our family. We love you like one of our own. And we want to help. I want to help." Eric could not believe the fight this young girl was putting up.
"How can you help me? The police already think I'm a prostitute, thanks to my mom's boyfriend Duke."
"Is that his name, Duke?"
"Yes, her current one anyway. How are you going to get the police to believe me? I'm sure they won't! If they did I would be safe now, not moving from place to place because I can't trust anyone."
"You can trust me, and Annie. We're going to help you."
"I don't want your help! Can't you see that Reverend Camden! If you help me then something could happen to your family. To Ruthie or the twins, or even Annie. And I don't want that. You are good people, and I don't want you to get hurt because of me!" Those words made Eric's eyes well up. Jennifer cared so deeply about him and his family that she would put her own life in danger.
"If I don't help you, then who will? You can just keep running all your life. You did nothing wrong Jennifer. You deserve to have a stable, normal life."
"I can take care of myself Reverend Camden. I've done it for awhile now." Jennifer was holding back tears, trying not to show that she was upset.
"Then you're going to the police on your own about this."
She didn't want to lie, but she loved the Camdens enough to do it.
"Yes Reverend Camden. I'll go myself."
"I'm here, I mean, we're here if you need to talk. Please don't be mad at Lucy or Ruthie for this. I promise I won't tell Simon." Jennifer looked at him, then stood up.
"Well, I better get to bed. I'm pretty tired."
"Goodnight Jennifer. I'll see you in the morning."
"Yeah, Goodnight Rev."
Eric walked out of the office and out of the Diner, deep in thought. He knew the if Sgt. Michaels didn't call him within the week about Jennifer that he would go to his long time friend to talk about her himself. He hoped he had done the right thing.
Jennifer lay down on her bed and sobbed. How could Lucy betray her like that? Now she didn't know who she could trust. But one thing was for sure; she couldn't stay in Glen Oak. Why should she? Lucy and betrayed her, and once Simon found out he would hate her. Jennifer knew she would leave Glen Oak for good, soon. But when was the question.
**************************************************************************** * Thanks for everyone for there support!!! Special thanks to Doyles-Always and my Stephie for being my two most loyal fans!!!! Review please!!!!!
Reverend Camden was sitting at his desk staring off to space when his phone rang.
"Hello."
"Eric, it's Annie. Are you busy?"
"No, is there something you need?"
"I've been thinking about Jennifer all day, and I'm really afraid that she's in danger."
"I know, me too."
"When are you going to talk to her?"
"Right now. Goodbye."
Eric hung up the phone and grabbed his jacket, and his Bible. This could be a long visit. He drove to the Diner and walked in. He saw the owner, Mr. Fredrickson standing behind the counter and walked up to him.
"Hello Mr. Fredrickson, by any chance is Jennifer here?"
"Yes, her shift just ended. Would you like me to get her for you?"
"That would be great thanks." Mr. Fredrickson disappeared into the kitchen and the Reverend stood there nervously. He wanted to help Jennifer so bad, but he wasn't sure how he would handle it yet. When she walked out into the Diner his heart sunk, because he now knew the horrible truth of her past.
"Hi Reverend. Mr. Fredrickson said you wanted to speak with me?"
"Yes Jennifer. Is there anywhere we could go and talk in private?"
"Well, we could use Mr. Fredrickson's office, I'm sure he wouldn't mind. Right this way." Jen lead the way to the back office. Since the moment she saw Reverend Camden, she knew that he knew the truth. So Lucy had caved. She was afraid of that. Jennifer reminded herself never to trust someone again. They walked into the office and shut the door.
"Jennifer, first of all I want you to know that you're safe with my family and me."
"She told you didn't she, Lucy told you about me."
"Actually no, Lucy told Ruthie about you. But Ruthie was worried so she came to Annie and I."
"So everyone knows now?" Jennifer said, getting a little angry, "What am I going to do? They're going to find me, I know it."
"Everyone doesn't know. Just Annie, Lucy, Ruthie and myself. We didn't tell anyone else, not even Simon."
"That's the way I want it, I don't want him to know yet."
"I understand that Jennifer, but right now the most important thing is your safety."
"My safety? I would be safe if I wouldn't have told anyone the truth. Especially Lucy." Jen spat back.
"Jennifer, Lucy cares about you very deeply. So do the rest of our family. We love you like one of our own. And we want to help. I want to help." Eric could not believe the fight this young girl was putting up.
"How can you help me? The police already think I'm a prostitute, thanks to my mom's boyfriend Duke."
"Is that his name, Duke?"
"Yes, her current one anyway. How are you going to get the police to believe me? I'm sure they won't! If they did I would be safe now, not moving from place to place because I can't trust anyone."
"You can trust me, and Annie. We're going to help you."
"I don't want your help! Can't you see that Reverend Camden! If you help me then something could happen to your family. To Ruthie or the twins, or even Annie. And I don't want that. You are good people, and I don't want you to get hurt because of me!" Those words made Eric's eyes well up. Jennifer cared so deeply about him and his family that she would put her own life in danger.
"If I don't help you, then who will? You can just keep running all your life. You did nothing wrong Jennifer. You deserve to have a stable, normal life."
"I can take care of myself Reverend Camden. I've done it for awhile now." Jennifer was holding back tears, trying not to show that she was upset.
"Then you're going to the police on your own about this."
She didn't want to lie, but she loved the Camdens enough to do it.
"Yes Reverend Camden. I'll go myself."
"I'm here, I mean, we're here if you need to talk. Please don't be mad at Lucy or Ruthie for this. I promise I won't tell Simon." Jennifer looked at him, then stood up.
"Well, I better get to bed. I'm pretty tired."
"Goodnight Jennifer. I'll see you in the morning."
"Yeah, Goodnight Rev."
Eric walked out of the office and out of the Diner, deep in thought. He knew the if Sgt. Michaels didn't call him within the week about Jennifer that he would go to his long time friend to talk about her himself. He hoped he had done the right thing.
Jennifer lay down on her bed and sobbed. How could Lucy betray her like that? Now she didn't know who she could trust. But one thing was for sure; she couldn't stay in Glen Oak. Why should she? Lucy and betrayed her, and once Simon found out he would hate her. Jennifer knew she would leave Glen Oak for good, soon. But when was the question.
**************************************************************************** * Thanks for everyone for there support!!! Special thanks to Doyles-Always and my Stephie for being my two most loyal fans!!!! Review please!!!!!
