Sabella & Malcolm Ch. 07

"Hello, Malcolm," Mark said breaking the silence but still staring at Malcolm.

"Hello," Malcolm said taking a step back surprised that Mark, could actually speak and see him, and he could do the same to him.

"I'm glad to be able put a face with the voice," Mark said.

"Me too," Malcolm replied.

"Sabella tells me that you told her that you weren't involved in your father's Klan activities," Mark said deciding to get the thing he most concerned about out in the open, "and she said she believes you. So, I'm going to believe you too."

"Okay," Malcolm said raising an eyebrow.

At that moment Regina and little Sabella appeared on the screen.

"Hey girl," Regina said glad to see her friend/sister-in-law.

"Hi," Sabella replied. "Hold up my niece so that I can see her."

Regina held the baby up so Sabella could see her little namesake.

"Hello, Boo-boo," Sabella cooed.

Little Sabella smile and reached out to touch the screen when she saw her Aunt and heard her voice.

"Ga-ga," little Sabella said reaching out and touching the screen.

"Hey, Boo-boo," Sabella said reaching out and touching the screen. "She has gotten so big,"

Sabella said wiping away tear that rolled down her cheek.

"She eats enough," Regina remarked.

"Hey," Sabella said laughing, "lay off my baby. She's a growing girl."

"No," Regina said. "She's just exercising the Jamison gene and eating everything in sight."

"That's my girl," Mark said joining the conversation and proudly puffing up his chest.

"I see you didn't tell Malcolm about me," Regina said noting the stunned look on Malcolm's face and his opened mouth.

"I didn't see a need to," Sabella said looking over at Malcolm. "I don't think he would've believed me anyway."

Hearing the women talking about him Malcolm closed his mouth, stuck his hands in his pockets and left the room.

"Girl you love to shock people," Regina said chuckling.

"You do too," Sabella said laughing along with her friend. "But this one wasn't planned."

Sabella talked to her family a few minutes longer and after promising to talk to them later that night, she said goodbye and turned her computer off.

She went downstairs and found Malcolm sitting on the couch a look of amazement on his face.

Sabella went over and sat in a chair opposite the couch and waited for him to speak. He looked up at her.

"I just spoke with your family," he said his voice filled with awe. "I just spoke to people who haven't been born yet."

"You also have one sitting in your living room," Sabella remarked.

"Your brother is married to Regina?" Malcolm asked.

"Yes," Sabella replied.

"And they live in Georgia?" Malcolm asked.

"Yes," Sabella replied.

"In Atlanta?" Malcolm asked still not believing Sabella.

"Yes," Sabella said. "In Atlanta."

"In Atlanta?" Malcolm said surprised at Sabella's answer. "They aren't afraid of being arrested and thrown in jail?"

"Marriages between whites and blacks are legal in all fifty states in 2009," Sabella replied.

"Even in Texas?" Malcolm asked not believing Sabella.

"The Supreme Court ruled in 1967 that all the laws banning interracial marriages were unconstitutional and that states didn't have the right to regulate, choose or decide whom a rational sane adult person decided to marry," Sabella said, "and yes that includes Texas."

"I'll be damned," Malcolm said amazed at what he was hearing.

Mabel came into the living room and announced that lunch was ready.

"You're going to tell me more about your time," Malcolm said.

"Okay," Sabella said as they made their way into the dining room for lunch, knowing that she had to be careful about the information, she shared with him because it could change the outcome of the future.

Three days later when Malcolm was coming downstairs to breakfast; there was a knock on his front door. He opened the door and was surprised to see Edward Winters, Carolyn's father standing on his front porch.

The look on the man's face letting Malcolm know that he was very unhappy and Malcolm knew what it was he was unhappy about.

"Hello, Ed," Malcolm said stepping onto the front porch.

"Hello, Malcolm," Ed said. "Aren't you going to invite me in?"

"What can I do for you Ed?" Malcolm asked closing his front door.

Edward Winters a fifty year old, six feet tall, two hundred pound, salt and pepper redhead, green eyed, rancher stood on Malcolm's front porch staring at him.

"I came over to see why you, upset my daughter," Ed sad. "What is going on between you and Carolyn?"

"Nothing is going on between me and Carolyn," Malcolm said.

"Carolyn said you ordered her out of your house," Ed said, "and you slammed the door in her face."

"Carolyn showed up over here, and I told her I didn't have time for visitors," Malcolm said tiring of having to defend himself. "She shows up here again the next day and just walks into my house without knocking. What would you do if someone did that to you?"

"I wouldn't just throw that person out of my home," Ed said, "especially if they were a friend of mine."

"I didn't throw her out," Malcolm said his anger matching Ed's. "I asked her to leave after I found out, she was trying to get information from me about my guest for the Sheriff."

"Who is this woman?" Ed asked, "and why hasn't anyone else in town met her?"

"The answer to both of those questions is none of your business," Malcolm said his tone angry and defiant.

"What's wrong with you Malcolm?" Ed asked his voice holding a hint of concern. "What has this woman done to you?"

"She hasn't done anything to me," Malcolm said barely hiding his anger. "It's people whom I've known all my life and called friends, who are causing me problems. Simply, because I have a guest in my home who wants privacy."

"You have to admit her behavior is strange," Ed remarked.

"By whose standards?" Malcolm asked. "What's strange about her behavior?" She doesn't know anyone in Culbert County but me. Why should she want to be around strangers?"

"Is she sick?" Ed asked.

"No, she isn't sick," Malcolm said. "She's just taking some time away from her regular life."

"Family problems?" Ed asked.

"I'm not answering that question," Malcolm said.

Edward Winters stared at the young man, he'd known since birth. He knew about the horrible thing Malcolm's father did to him as a young boy of ten.

He understood why it took Malcolm over twenty years to come back to Culbert County. What he couldn't understand was the change Malcolm had gone through, his desire to keep people, he'd known all his life at bay.

Even before his visitor came to town Malcolm wasn't very sociable when it came to the people of Culbert County. He rarely came to town, he turned down all invitations to dinner, parties or town events.

So, Malcolm's desire for privacy and not socializing with people wasn't something new and everyone had grown use to it.

Besides they knew Malcolm and his family, it was the woman, a stranger among them that was making everyone curious.

They weren't use to a person being so standoffish and antisocial.

"I think you should have a party," Ed said out of the blue.

"A party?" Malcolm said wondering what the man was talking about.

"Yeah," Ed said, "a party where you introduce your friend to everyone."

"No," Malcolm said, "there will be no party."

"Well how about a dinner then?" Ed said. "A small dinner party would allow you to introduce her to a small, select group of people from Culbert County."

"No," Malcolm said.

"Aren't you going to at least discuss it with the lady?"

"No."

"How long is she going to be here?"

"I'm not answering any questions," Malcolm said hoping the tone of his voice would tell Ed, he was serious.

"Why are you being so tight lipped about this woman?"

"I thought you came over here to defend your daughter's honor," Malcolm said when he realized they had strayed away from the reason for Ed's visit.

"I did," Ed said.

"Then why are we discussing something that doesn't concern you?" Malcolm asked. "Are you sure you aren't here trying to collect information for Sheriff Jenkins?"

"Why would I do that?" Ed asked his tone letting Malcolm know that he was insulted by what he was suggesting.

"Because my guest seems to be all you're interested in," Malcolm remarked, "and the Sheriff sent Carolyn to try and find out what she could about my guest."

"Well, the Sheriff didn't send me over here," Ed said. "I'm a grown man, my parents have been gone for years, and they were the only ones who could send me anywhere."

"Is there anything else you want to discuss?" Malcolm asked tiring of dealing with Carolyn's father.

"No," Ed said. "I just wondered what happened between you and Carolyn."

"Well, I hope I answered your questions," Malcolm said, "and I would appreciate it if you talk to Carolyn and ask her not to pay me anymore unwelcome surprise visits."

"I understand what you're saying Malcolm," Ed said, "but don't you think you're being kind of harsh? You and Carolyn have been friends since birth. She's in the habit of showing up over here whenever she likes."

"As a friend I asked her to stop," Malcolm said, "and as a friend she should have done as I asked. But, she chose to ignore me and my request, so I had to get stern with her and let her know that I wasn't happy with the way she was ignoring my request. I'm not sorry I did it Ed because when I asked her kindly she pretended she didn't hear me. So, if her feelings are hurt, and she's upset Carolyn has no one to blame but herself."

"You've changed Malcolm," Ed remarked, "and I don't think it's for the better."

"That's your opinion Ed," Malcolm said, "and you're welcomed to it. If there is nothing else you have to discuss with me, I'm going back inside."

"Your father would've welcomed me inside the house, let me have a seat and offered me something to drink," Ed said. "He never would've let me stand on the porch to talk about something like this. You're nothing like your father Malcolm."

"That's the best compliment could've ever given me, Ed," Malcolm said a big smile on his face.

Malcolm went into the house leaving Carolyn's father standing on the front porch.

Ed Winters climbed into his car to head over to the Sheriff's office. Sheriff Jenkins wasn't going to be happy to find out that he got no further than his daughter did during his visit to Malcolm.

He also wasn't going to be happy when he told him that he agreed with Malcolm. If a man tells you he doesn't want visitors, whether your family or a friend his wishes should be respected, and you shouldn't try to force your way into his home.

Ed was feeling ashamed of himself for letting his daughter and the Sheriff talk him into coming over and trying to stick his nose into Malcolm's business where it didn't belong.

He should have known that Carolyn and Sheriff Jenkins hadn't been completely honest with him.

They didn't tell him that Malcolm slammed the door in his daughter's face because she wouldn't listen to Malcolm when he told her nicely that he didn't want her just showing up at his home.

He would've done the same thing if he had been treated in such a manner. Disrespect begets disrespect.

'I'm going to have to talk to that daughter of mine when I get home,' Ed thought to himself. 'I will not allow her to draw me into the web of lies she's creating in her efforts to snag Malcolm. I will not allow her to use me, and she needs to know that.'