Julia

Chapter Six

The truck pulled upnext to the porch, the Oldsmobile pulled up behind it. Julia gazed atthe car. She could see Eric sitting in the back seat. He wasn'tmoving. She waved. He didn't seem to notice. His grandparents got outand his grandmother opened his door.

"Come on, Eric,"she softly said. "We're going in."

Eric's eyes liftedslowly and gazed at her with a deep sadness. "I don't want to."

"Eric." She satdown on the seat beside him and took his hand. "I know it's hardbaby. It is for me too, but sometimes you just give in and acceptthings for what they are."

He leaned againsther. "Why?"

"Because the Lordhas made it so." She kissed the top of his head. "You are goingto be right at home here in no time. Everyone here loves you." Shepointed to Julia standing on the front porch. "Look, there's Julia.That little girl loves you more than any little girl ever could."

He looked toward theporch and saw Julia standing there in blue jeans and a purplesweater. Her hands were stuffed in her pockets and he could seeexcitement on her face. He smiled. "Okay, for Julia."

Nana smiled. "Youhave a special place for her in your heart, don't you?"

He shrugged hisshoulders. "I guess."

♥

"Julia," Jacobsaid her name in a complaining voice, "we don't want you down here.You will do nothing but annoy us."

"I don't reallymind if she sleeps down here," Eric stated and winked at Julia. "Iwant her to stay."

"Fine," Jacobstood. "Then I'll go up and sleep in her room."

Daniel stood. "AndI'll just sleep up in your room, Eric."

Eric glared up athim and rose slowly to his feet. "Nobody sleeps in my daddy's bedbut me."

"Who's gonna stopme?" Daniel put his hands on his hips. His brows furrowed and hiswhole expression challenged the boy standing before him.

"Me!" Eric'seyes grew darker, and if darts could have flown from them, they wouldhave.

"Yeah, let me seeya try." Daniel turned and began walking away. "I'm going up toyour room and get in your daddy's bed," saying daddy's bed ina mocking tone.

Eric ran at him fullspeed, knocked him off his feet and was throwing punches as hard ashe could. Daniel tried to roll over to defend himself, but Eric,though smaller, had him pinned.

"Mama! Daddy!"Julia screamed.

"Mom! Dad!"Jacob called out. "Eric and Daniel are fighting."

Daniel managed toroll over and throw Eric off of him. He had Eric pinned to the floornow. He held his arms to the hardwood floor and sat on him. "Youtook my room! Yeah, that's right. That was supposed to be my room!"A spit spray flew into Eric's face and he turned away. "What yagotta say about that?"

Eric began to cry."I never wanted to come here! I don't want to live here! I hatehere! Get off of me!

Julia clenched herlittle fist and jumped on Daniel's back. "You leave Eric alone!You'll make him hate us!"

Marcie, Joshua andPapa came down the stairs. Nana remained at the top looking down witha worried expression on her face.

Marcie pulled Juliaoff of Daniel's back. Joshua and Papa separated the boys. Theydirected the two boys to the couch and had Jacob and Julia join them.

"Now, what startedthis?" Joshua stood in front of the children with his hands on hiships.

Eric's eyes lookeddown at the floor, while Jacob and Daniel looked at Julia.

"Well, I'm waitingfor an answer."

"Julia startedit," Jacob said and pointed his finger at her. "She started it bywanting to sleep down here."

"Yeah, then Ericsaid he didn't mind," Daniel gave Eric an irked expression. "Likehe has any say so around here."

"I hate it here!"Eric jumped up and ran up the stairs to his Nana.

She wrapped her armsaround him and kissed the top of his head.

"Nana, I want togo home." She listened to Joshua as he spoke to the childrenremaining on the couch.

"We had anunderstanding that Eric was welcome in our home, that we were goingto help him adjust and that he was going to be a part of our family.You boys seemed to have taken upon yourself to cause nothing butstrife. You have managed in one night to turn everything in theopposite direction."

"What aboutJulia?" The two of them asked at the same time.

"What about Julia?She is the only one of my three children not misbehaving in acts ofjealousy and anger."

"She jumped on meand hit me!" Daniel raised his voice at his father and then lookeddown at his feet in sudden submission.

"I think she mayhave been defending Eric."

"Who jumped on mefirst." Daniel looked up at his father and back down.

"Mind telling mewho actually started this?" Joshua folded his arms across hischest.

Papa took a seatacross the room and listened.

"Jacob," Juliasaid. "He started the whole thing."

"Did not," Jacobsaid.

"Did too."

"Did not."

"Enough!" Joshuaexclaimed. "Okay, so Jacob, you didn't want Julia down here. Whathappened next?"

The childrenexplained how the trouble started and the fight began. Joshua had tostop them a few times when they talked over one another. He finallybegan to understand.

"So, Daniel, youtopped everything off, when you claimed Eric's bed."

Daniel lifted hisshoulders in a shrug and nodded his head. "I guess so."

"Daniel, I'llstart with you," Joshua unfolded his arms and placed his hands inthe pocket of his robe. "What do you think you should do?"

"Apologize to Ericfor being a jerk."

"Jacob?"

"Apologize toEric."

"Julia?"

"Love Eric."

Joshua smiled."Boys, I want you to go up stairs, tell Eric you are sorry and tellhim you want him to stay." He narrowed his eyes at his sons. "Youdo want him to stay?"

They nodded theirheads.

"It's the rightthing to do," Daniel said. He glanced over at Julia. "What abouther?"

"Julia, as I seeit, hasn't really done anything wrong. The only thing she's done isannoyed the two of you because you see her as an annoyance." Hesighed. "If Eric wants Julia to stay down here and sleep, thenthat's the way it's going to be. Understood?"

♥

In their roomsabove, the adults settled back in their beds and listened to thequietness of the house.

"I'm worried aboutEric," Nana said softly to Papa.

 "He's going to befine." Papa took her hand and patted it. "You'll see. Our Eric isa special kid. Always have seen something in him."