Chapter 6 (pt 2)

The girls walked home in silence, each one looking in a direction the other wasn't. Jasmine avoided Shanelle's eye contact, Anna the both of them, and Shanelle just stared ahead.

Being that is was sponsor week, the last day before Thanksgiving break, tables were set up along the school property, each offering jars of candy and rubber band bracelets for a moment of their time. All except one. In fact it was the last table ahead of them, and for some reason, it stood out to Jasmine.

An older white man with a full beard and a dirty red baseball cap stood in front of the table, dressed in farmer overalls and checkered shirt. On his feet were brown cowboy boots that had silver tips. Not a crease or wrinkle could be seen in anything he wore. Only his cap. This puzzled Jasmine.

As they neared, she could see that standing next to him was a young Latina woman. She was tanned, had a small nose ring, and wore a sweater dress.

Jasmine frowned. For a second, she could have sworn a glow emanated from them... It were as if their entire table shined.

Almost instinctively, the three girls stopped at the table, unsure of why or who would say what first.

"Afternoon! Hows the day been for you ladies?" The man spoke, shaking their hands.

To Jasmine's surprise, he didn't sound nearly as country as he looked. She expected to see a few missing teeth, yet when his smile showed a perfect set of pearls, again she was puzzled. Maybe she was just discriminative.

"Fine, sir. What are y'all? What's this table for?" Jasmine asked, curious, taking initiative when she realized neither Shanelle nor Anna were going to speak.

"My name is John Bodan, and I'm the co founder of H.I.E.T ministries. We have applications for youth here", he scooped up a stack of papers. "And we're offering five more students the chance to come to our camp... For free."

"We in," Shanelle responded immediately. It was the first thing she'd said since the girls had gotten out of school. Embarrassed, Jasmine's face turned red.

"Hold on Nelle, we ain't broke and we don't need charity. We don't even know what their ministry does!"

" I wanna go!" Anna whined.

Jasmine rolled her eyes.

"Well, we're not your typical summer camp. A lot of the children who attend are refugees, homeless, orphans, or children from our church members...."

"Exactly... Charity." Jasmine folded her arms.

The man laughed heartily, the lady only smiled. "These campers learn trades and life skills. They all work at H.I.E.T and make a living for themselves, or they come just for the experience."

Looking over at Shanelle, Jasmine could tell she was already sold. How could she embarrass them like that? Her parents had more than enough for all of them and they didn't need any handouts...

Suddenly, Jasmine had a wicked idea... If Shanelle signed up, she would be free! At least outside of school. Carefully shielding her expression, Jasmine leaned in to "examine" the application.

"So, this is a summer camp?" She asked.

Shaking his head, John glanced at the lady next to him briefly. They shared an exchange Jasmine couldn't decipher.

"No, we're active all year. Some of these children don't have homes to go to. Spring, summer, fall... And winter."

That was it; Jasmine was convinced. Growing anxious, she silently pressed the guilt that tugged at her heart in a hidden place, anticipating John's next words. He began laying out the finer details of what their commitment would like once they completed an application.

"To make sure we recruit serious campers, once the initial application is submitted, they're required to attend a two-week orientation: Two weeks straight, two hours a day, 5 days a week. During orientation, we cover the trades you'll be learning and the groups you'll be working with. Essentially, the goal is to find where you fit... And we do that by fitting you everywhere. Its a stretch, its difficult to keep up with, especially if you're someone who has extracurricular activities already, but it is a transformation that's beyond rewarding." John handed each of them an application.

Jasmine knew already that she wouldn't be filling it out... What she did know, was that Shanelle would.

Before they left the table, Shanelle paused and turned to ask Mr. John a question.

"What does H.I.E.T ministries stand for, sir?"

"Mighty good question... It stands for Hope In End Times Ministries."

---

"Ma, its not fair they get to go to a sleepover! I wanna go!" Anna cried to June, walking into the living room as if she would faint with each step.

"You gotta have friends first to go to a sleepover," Jasmine smarted while walking by. Anna's whining intensified.

"Ma'am, have you packed your bag? Keep playing, you'll be sitting right here with Mae, and Shanelle will be the only one going to a sleepover." June scolded.

Stifling the urge to giggle, Jasmine recanted her words. "Okay! No, no, I didn't mean it."

Running a gentle hand over Anna's hair, June pointed to her bedroom. "Girly, go on and finish your homework. I'll be in in a sec to help." A tearful Anna left the room, sobs heard from the hallway.

Once the two were alone, June turned sternly toward Jasmine. "I'm not liking the attitude you've had lately."

Puzzled, Jasmine stared in question. To her, she acted the way she always had.

"Be careful. Sometimes the people we hang around start to change us." June knitted her eyebrows, picking up a grocery bag with flour in it from the ground.

"Ma'am? You talking about Nelle? We're fine Ma."

"No, baby I'm talking about these girls you going with. I don't know who they are, but it doesn't seem like they don't know God."

"How can you say that? They're fun to hang out with, we always get our work done, and they want me around them . Its not a big deal."

"I know it doesn't seem like it, but Jas, you're not like everyone else. Choosing Jesus made you different..."

"Not better than anyone else though... They believe in God Mama. They know He's real and they go to church."

"Do they treat Shanelle like they treat you?" June raised her eyebrows.

Troubled by her question, Jasmine searched for an evasive response. "What's that have to do with anything? She's invited too! Shanelle just gotta be... Normal. She always act weird around people in public."

"It seems to me, she the only real friend you hang out with." June spoke to her as she went to the kitchen counter, pre mixing flour, butter, and buttermilk into biscuit dough for later use.

"Not really," Jasmine mumbled. She sighed. Her mother didn't understand. She lowered her voice, well aware that Shanelle was right outside. "Somethin' is wrong with Nelle now Ma... I don't know what happened, but she's mean, and quiet and she gets so angry. We used to talk about everything, laugh... we did everything together.. if I say one thing she gets angry!"

Jasmine missed how things used to be. She thought of the argument they'd had the day Shanelle found out about Vanessa. Ever since, the great chaft separating them became an endless gulf. "It came out of nowhere!" Jasmine insisted.

"Baby, you gotta be gentle with Shanelle. She's dealing with things you can't understand unless you done been through it. Give her time. Let her deal."

"I'm tired of that! The people at school look at her and then they look at me cus' we always together. I dont even want to be around her anymore."

"Sounds like people changing you. They all gone be there for the years you in school. I guarantee Shanelle will be there for a lifetime."

As June formed spheres with the dough, Jasmine pondered what she said. Her friends wouldn't leave her... Would they? It made her shudder thinking about being stuck with Shanelle as her only friend.

"When's the last time you talked to God?" June asked without looking up.

Thrown off by her question and suddenly triggered, Jasmine recalled the voice she'd heard days prior.

"God talked to me this week."

"God talks to everyone baby. Do you talk to Him?"

Tilting her head to the side, Jasmine huffed. "What's that even mean?"

"I mean did you read your Bible or speak to Him first?"

---

"Ma, God gave me a vision. Everybody don't get that. I'm okay..."

"He gave you instructions too, but you seem to have thrown that out the window."

Sucking her teeth, Jasmine groaned. "Ma, God isn't asking me to give up my free time and be some preacher-"

"You don't know what God is asking you if you don't talk to Him."

"Im a teenager, I wanna live and experience things! God understands me wantin' to enjoy myself."

"I'm not talking about you having fun... I'm talking about you being faithful to the One who is always faithful to you!"

June came up to Jasmine, placed a hand against her cheek and looked at her daughter squarely. "There's no age limit in a graveyard baby. The word says choose today who your master will be... that vision you had...? That was yesterday. Today's a new day. Don't ever think where you stand with God is sure... I'm askin' you about them girls because the people you choose to be around you, are the people who go with you, or you go with."

Her mother's words rose the hair on the back of her neck... and for some reason, this frustrated Jasmine. Why was she asking her these questions?

"I'm not you Ma, I don't wake up early to put prayers and blessings in a wishin' well for other people, I don't bake, I don't cook, I don't sew... I'm not you!"

"Jasmine, I been stopped trying to teach you those things. If you wanna be like every other young woman out there who don't know how to do nothing but give up her body, then you go ahead! Just not in this house."

Face reddening, Jasmine felt herself reaching a place she knew she'd regret later. "I'm not laying down with nobody... but I ain't gon' be no house mouse either. You so stuck in religion that you judge everyone else that don't look like you. Just because God don't talk to you like He does me, doesn't mean I'm goin' to hell. I'm not gone judge eve-"

Before Jasmine could finish her sentence, June's hand flew faster than she could think: she slapped her. Cowering back, Jasmine shielded her face. It did no good. June's hands came flying and Jasmine's upper body took the blunt of it. Forcing herself to pull away, June backed up, pointing a trembling finger at her daughter.

"I didn't raise this ugliness... I'm ashamed... And lost. You have no idea what's goin' on around you! You not watching the news, you not reading articles, you not facin' the laws head on in a workplace! You don't know... If you did, then you'd know you have no choice but to pray... You have no choice but to talk to God, you have no choice but to trust Him... I am... A watchman. I'm called to report what I see, and all I see ahead.... Is danger... Don't let satan deceive you.. Do you think for a moment you too young to go to hell? It ain't about age... you know what's right and wrong, and you know who God is."

Tears streamed down June's face as she spoke, closing her eyes tight, breathing. "Jas... I correct you... because I love you. One day, you'll hear my words, even if I'm not here to say them."

Jasmine remained in a crouched position, shielding her face and squeezing her eyes shut, hoping she could drown everything out. She knew she shouldn't have said what she did, but she refused to take it back. In her mind, she imagined being somewhere hidden and beautiful. Anywhere but here. She hated June.

The front door opened then, and in came Chino. Broad smile dissolving into immediate concern when he saw his wife's face and Jasmine cowering on the carpet, he dropped his packages.

"What...? What's.... Baby?" He approached June alarmed. Seizing the opportunity, Jasmine darted upstairs.

"Jasmine, get back out!" Chino called. Placing an arm beneath June's elbow, he smoothed away her cheek with a free hand. Slowly coming down the stairs, Jasmine kept her head down, hot tears clouding her eyes.

"What happened June?"

"Your daughter raised her voice at me and got disrespectful." June reached for control in her own tone.

Frowning, Chino turned to his daughter. "Jas, what's wrong with you?"

"Daddy, she got upset because I didn't read my Bible this week or get up early in the morning and pray like she do. I wanna have fun, hang out and everything... I still love God daddy, Mama's just doing the most! She's asking for too much."

"No, that's not what came across my mouth. I told her she needs to talk to God every day and start praying more." June raised a flustered hand.

"But baby, she's still young... You can't expect her to be perfect. I don't even read my Bible every day." Chino shrugged.

"You missing the point, Chino! If we're raising her to fear God, we need to be examples! Stuff happens, yes, and we don't always make a one hundred every single day, but challenge her to do better!" June pleaded, tears filling her eyes once again. Her words trembled with each syllable.

"June, I don't agree with pushing that onto Jas right now... It's too soon. And its her choice. She had a vision: God spoke to her... If He thinks she's accountable, let her be."

Relief exploded in Jasmine's heart, though It died quickly when she saw the broken look in her mother's face.

Chino turned. "And you... Don't ever let me hear of you raising your voice at your Mama again, alright? It doesn't matter what she says, she still deserves your respect."

"Yes sir."

"Now ain't you supposed to be going somewhere... A sleepover?"

Snapping her head up in surprise, Jasmine's eyes widened. "I can still go?"

"What do you think June-" Chino asked, turning.

June, however, had already left the room, closing herself within the family office.

Waving Jasmine off in approval, Chino sat down on the living room couch.

Wrapping her arms around Chino's neck, Jasmine kissed him on the cheek before racing to grab her things. Thank God for her daddy!