Chapter Three - part seven

    He had moved quickly to get upstairs. He wanted to reach Sabella before anybody else could. Taking a deep breath he knocked firmly on the door. He barely managed to complete the third knock before the door jerked open. Sabella was there and she was clearly furious. In spite of that fury, there were tears visible in her eyes, ready to fall on the instant. She had her mouth open and it appeared she was ready to unleash some vicious words on him, but she snapped her mouth shut and just glared at him for a moment before speaking. Her voice was shaky as she tried to get her question out. "What...why...what do you want?" James tried to put on one of his best smiles as he prepared to give her his answer and take whatever came back at him. "To talk... just to talk, may I come in so we can talk in private?"

    Sabella frowned at him and leaned out to glance down the hallway. She started to shake her head, but stopped and putting her hands on her hips she just studied him for a minute. James had the feeling he was a bug and she was trying to decide if he needed to be squashed or just ignored. Finally, she stepped back and motioned for him to come in, but she never said a word. Once he was inside she pointed to the chair by the dressing table and she closed the door firmly behind her. James managed to not look, but he was fairly certain he had heard her lock it too. Sabella walked over and turned to face him. She remained standing so she could look down on him.  She gave him a smile for the first time, even if it was a cold smile, as she spoke again. "Okay, you wanted to talk... so talk."

    James chuckled in spite of himself and shaking his head grinned up at her. "Look, I didn't come here looking for a fight with you. I really do just want to talk, but if you want a fight, then I’m up for it. I have seven sisters and I know that look very well. You are ticked off beyond belief and want to just tear into someone or something and rip it to shreds. You wouldn't be the first to chew on me and you sure won't be the last, so have at it. If it will help... here I am." He kept grinning as he spread out his hands offering himself to her, almost daring her to let loose. Sabella was still glaring at him, but he wasn't sure if it was in anger or shock now. Then she seemed to relax just a fraction and dropped her arms to her side. He quickly spoke again. "I want to talk Sabella, just to talk. If you don't talk, you are going to explode and a lot of people will get hurt, including you."

    Sabella glared even harder at him for a moment and then shaking her head sat down on the bed. "So what are you going to be; the sacrificial lamb? Are you going to let me shred you to save them? Is that your brilliant plan? I assume Shanna went running to you. She seems to be so fascinated with you, the strong silent stranger. Are you going to be the knight in shining armor that charges in to slay the dragon and save everyone?" She pointed her finger at him first and then the door as she continued. "Well just let me tell you buster, if that is your plan you better be out that door before I decide to roast you alive in the fire I breathe. All you religious fanatics make me sick. I am NOT, do hear me NOT going to go to any church or listen to any such crap! I put up with that stupid prayer to your imaginations every evening, but I won't take part in worshiping such foolishness. I WON'T!!!" She was screaming at him by the time she was finished and still pointing at the door.

    James never took his eyes off her face as he continued to smile. He did have to swallow before he could answer though. "Well, I admit the door does sound like a lot safer option, but I doubt I could get it unlocked before you got to my back, so I think I’ll just stay where I have a wall to my back and my eyes on you instead." Sabella let her mouth fall open and at least a bit of the fury seemed to vanish. James leaned forward ever so slightly. "Look can't we just talk? I am not here to sell, save, or defend anything. I like these folks and well I think I might even like you... if you would just ease up a little. I don't want to see anybody hurt, especially not for something this foolish." That did something. Sabella stiffened up and stood up. She marched over to him. Glaring down at him she stuck her finger in his face as she spoke. Her voice was soft and cold. "Don't try that crap on me you self-righteous wanna be saint. I know better than to fall for that kind of garbage. You idiots can't help yourselves. You are commanded to sell it. You have to 'save' the lost. It's all a bunch of crap!"

    She was still standing there in front of him, almost shaking from the effort to contain her rage. James let the smile go and slowly stood up so that he was now the one looking down, just slightly, on her when he spoke. "I am going to try to talk and if you want to shout me down, well have at it. I get what you are saying and you are right about a lot of it, but not all of it. I try very hard to not be like all of those self-righteous, holier than thou, saints that do more harm than good. I am not here to talk religion to you. I am here to just talk. You are mad as hell and you have a right to be mad. I just don't want you to be mad at the wrong people for the wrong reasons. Now do we sit down and talk like sensible people or do we stand here and scream like fanatical idiots?" He stood there, just inches from her, eyes locked they stared at each other for a long time. James could feel her breath and smell her perfume. What happened next was anything but what he had expected though.

    Sabella fell against him and began bawling her eyes out. At first James just stood there, uncertain of what he should do. After a moment he started to reach around her to comfort her, but stopped short. She seemed to be aware of it, because she quickly looked up at him and wiped away her tears. She grinned and pushed herself away from him. Wiping her tears away she shook her head as she continued to grin just a little. "You are dangerous, very, very dangerous." Then she laughed and stepped back quickly. "I thought I would let you in here and eat you alive, which is why I locked that door. I didn't want anyone coming in to save you from me." She glared at him again, but she was still smiling. "You bug me. I can't figure you out. I have seen you looking at girls, at me. I know you like what you see. You are not the shy type, you proved that when you walked in here. What are you? Who are you? I just can't get a handle on you. You charged in here, a hero to save the day, but I believe you when you say that wasn't why you came. Why did you come? What is in this for you? I thought you were about to offer comfort, but you didn't. You wanted to talk, so talk. What is up with you?"

    She had stepped back, but she was still very close. The trails of tears were still on her face, but he was surprised to see that she had almost no make-up on. She was just naturally pretty. He had to smile as he considered what she was asking. She thought he wanted something, something from her. Apparently she believed that to be true about everyone, they all wanted something. That was true, but not always the way she was looking at it.  This time he stepped back and took a seat again before he spoke. "I was going to offer comfort, but just as a comfort. I know that most people are usually looking for what is in it for them. I do that too, just not all the time. I came to talk, to try and keep everyone from getting hurt. I have no real concern if you scream at me. I mean as long as you don't claw my eyes out or something. I can even take a few bruises, if I have to, in order to keep the peace. I am not trying to be a hero. I am just being me. Now why don't you try it and let's see if we can talk for real about what is actually eating at you."

    Sabella actually gave him a genuine smile and a small laugh. Then she did start to talk. She poured out her feelings about faith and religion. A lot of it was very severe and harsh. She had never set foot in a church and never would if there was any possible way to avoid it. She had even refused to go to funerals held at churches for people she cared about. God was just a holdover from the days when men were too stupid to understand the real truth and the Bible was just a collection of very good stories that men had used to manipulate people who were too stupid to know better. James had listened to all of it carefully, but something stuck in his head as he listened. It was all about her and her beliefs. She never mentioned her family at all. When she had finished she looked over at him and smiled. "So there you have it. I have said my piece. Now it is your turn and don't try beating around the bush. I would bet my life that you are one of those born again, bible quoting fools, so have at it. Sell me on your crap... if you can!"

    James actually laughed. He leaned forward with a broad smile and nodded. "Okay, I will take my turn and talk. You are right. I am born again and I could quote a few verses from the Bible at you. But I really didn't come here to sell any of that. Even if I had, it would be a waste of time." Sabella gave a firm nod and big smile to that. James smiled right back, because he knew she wouldn't be smiling at his next comment. "The only one who can sell my belief is God and He doesn't sell anything. He gives it. All you have to do is accept the gift." Sabella tilted her head and almost growled, clearly expecting him to launch into a sales pitch. Instead he changed the entire subject of the conversation.

     "You know it's almost funny how much you are against religion and faith. Did you know that Sabella means consecrated to God?" That left her stunned and speechless. It was clear that she didn't. He went on. "You never mentioned your folks when you were letting me have the full load a minute ago. I have to wonder if they just didn't know what it meant or if they picked it out for some other reason. My folks picked James for me from the Bible. My dad is named Joshua, another Bible name." He stopped for just an instant and then continued. "I am a Christian. I am not ashamed of it and I won't try to hide it, but I will never try to force it on you or anyone else, not even my children. I will demand, just like the Blake's do, that you respect my right to believe just as I respect your right not to believe. Look you may not be consecrated to God and may never want to be. That is fine by me. Just don't think you can treat me or anyone else like a fool just because we don't agree with you. I think the Yankees stink, but that doesn't make me a fool does it?" Sabella burst out laughing. James continued. "Look, Shanna was worried that you would do something stupid. Susan didn't mean to upset you. It was a just a slip. I don't know that they will even invite you to go to church, but if they do, you can just say no."

    Sabella had stopped laughing and smiling. She nodded her head at him and then asked a question. "And if you are wrong and they insist I go along?" James smiled and stood up. Looking down at her he grinned. "Then I guess I will get to play the hero all over again and come charging in to save you. If they do try to force it, I will stand beside you, behind you, or in between you and them. Unless I am willing to defend your right to say no; I don't have the right to say yes." He walked over and unlocked the door to leave. Sabella spoke up quickly to stop him. "What do you think I should do... just be a good little girl and go along?" He smiled and shook his head. "I don't know. If you hate it as bad as you say, then why bother? Of course if you are so certain then what would it hurt? It is your choice. It always was. It always will be. Not even God can make this decision for you. You must decide for yourself, just don't try to decide for the rest of us when you do." With that he stepped out and closed the door behind him. He leaned back against it and let out a soft sigh. Well he was still in one piece, that was more than he had expected a couple of times in there. Then he headed back to his room. Now he had to deal with Shanna and Jeremy.