Category : Stories

Sub Category : YoungAdult

Within a week following the loss of his mother, wife , and infant son Mister Jennings had surrendered custody of Annie Elizabeth, Mattie Dicey, and Lilly Amanda , to to different relatives . He trusted his wife's brothers and their wives to provide  a stable home environment for his, and Nancy's girls ; something James feared he was no longer able to do .

He had hastened the marriage between his oldest daughter, Florence ( Rose ) and Bill Holly for the same reasons . Bill would be good to Florence. He would provide a good home for her . Florence had married into a good family she would not want for anything . Being Bill Holly's wife would provide Florence with all the security and things he could no longer give her .

His sons, were all passed the age of accountability, Biblically speaking, they were men. Each one had the physical and mental ability to work . As a parent, as parents , he and their mother made sure their sons were educated to the best of their ability .Now it was time for his sons to take the tools he , and their mother had given them and build their own life somewhere. James Jennings could do not more for his children.

His broke leg was not healing as fast as he hoped. The bones were not mending as soon as they should. The pain was increasing and his dependence on Laudanum was gaining control of him mentally, spiritually,and physically. The look in the eyes of each of his seven children said they coud not understand why their father would abandon them . James did not fully understand the demonic impulse driving him to abandon his family . He only knew in his more rational moments something kept telling him he was no longer able to protect his  two year old, his four year old, and his six year old . not with his leg the way it was, not with his mind , his spirit, and his body under the control or Laudanum.

He feared the guilt confessions the laudanum may produce . James blamed himself for the death of his mother if he had not dispensd laudanum to her would she have recovered from the fever and sickness she had ? If he had not dispenesed as many does of the laudanum to his wife Nancy would she still be with him , would he still have their son who died within onlle hour of his birth ? Was he, and laudanum , turning his daughter Florence Rose into an addict ?

James knew he had been wrong to administer a dose of laudanum to Florence for every headache and muscle ache she experienced , He had been wrong so wrong to dispense drugs to every member of his family. He hated seeing his family in pain,

Precious did not question Mister Jimmy's decision to send his children away ? She would not comment on his tormented questions ? She would withhold her opinions and her judgements . Jimmy was to fragile to hear what the family governess had to say. This white man was to sick, to fragile to cope with the harsh words raging through the heart and Mind of Precious. Everything may look alright on the outside but, it is decayed on the inside.

She would be there beside him changing him , bathing him , feeding him, dressing him, caring for him like a mother cares for a new born infant yet, never having the right to say how wrong things are . Never once being able to tell Jimmy Jennings how stupid, how self centered , how selfishly stupid and wrong he had been to send even one of his babies away

Precious would coax, she would beg, and she would plead, sometimes she used idol threts to get james to coorperate and take part in his recovery. Sometimes, Precious had to recruit the help of his older children , it was not proper for them especially Florence to see her father in that condition . But, there were times when Preious had no choice .

Together the two women physicaly forced Mister Jennings to bathe and dress in clean clothes. During times such as these Precious was frequenty hit . Each time she would cry from the pain and tell herself and who ever was there it is the Laudanum and the illness not Mister Jennings . She was always careful to say Mister when the children were around .

When he beat her with the strap , Precious would scream at him , " Get mad !  Hit me again, Just don't let the bastard Laudanum win. Come on Jimmy fight back. The demons of depression, and addiction, can't have you. The demons of Laudanum and grief can't have your mind , your heart , your soul , or your body . Fight back you lazy half- breed , You are coming back to those three little girls I don't give a rat's ass what you , or the demons want .

Precious made every effort to check on  florence and the three smaller girls when she saw the mental and physica abuse Annie, Mattie, and Lilly were forced to endure she creid with them . She renewed her determination their father would recover.James Jennings would correct the wrong tha he had done, James William Jennings would bring his girls home a lot sooner than he or anyone imagined .

Precious vows immediate retribution for the sexual abuse of Lilly and Mattie .