Meridian. Part 17

"Really. Hand it over. My dad taught me." It was one of the few father-daughter moments I remembered.

Tens reluctantly handed me the gray silk tie, which smelled of cedar. I wrapped it around my neck, trying to ignore the heat clinging to it I closed my eyes and visualized the steps, hoping I wasn't about to make an a.s.s of myself.

With a final tug, I tied the straightest knot of my life. I lifted the tie over my head and 100 pa.s.sed it to Tens. He grunted again and tucked it around his neck, tightening the knot, ani straightening the lay. He smoothed down his starched white shirt collar, but missed a bit in *the back that edged into his hair. I reached up and turned it down, noticing the quick glide of his hair over my fingers and the stillness of his body at my touch.

"Let's get this show on the road." Auntie's voice marched ahead of her down the stairs.

I jumped back from Tens, as though I'd been caught doing something terribly naughty.

"Thanks," he mumbled, and moved away from me. I think he blushed.

I turned to Auntie, expecting an outfit that was maybe a step up from her usual impeccable cla.s.sic. My jaw dropped.

Auntie was resplendent in a purple velvet skirt suit. She carried herself like the Queen of England, and the ensemble was one that would have made Victorian Elizabeth proud.

Layers of petticoats peeked out from beneath a full skirt. A jacket corseted her tiny torso and accentuated the bust I hadn't been aware she had. Even Custos seemed caught off guard.

Auntie smoothed on a pair of white gloves and handed a set to me. She placed a navy blue pillbox hat, complete with navy blue half-veil, on my head and patted it down for effect.

"You'll wear this as well."

"Do I -"

"Yes, you have to. I will not have those Believers saying we didn't follow their customs."

"They wear gloves and hats?"'

She gave me a hard look and wrapped a thick scarf around her neck. "Have you ever heard of a religion that preached getting naked? Don't answer that. They require covering up. So we cover up."

I had the feeling that I would be the only person under the age of eighty wearing a hat, veil, and gloves, but this was Auntie's show.

"Whatever," I said, adamantly ignoring the mirror as I walked past it.

Tens drew on a black trench coat of the softest leather, broken in and worn for years.

"You're almost as handsome as my Charles in that." Auntie opened the coat closet and pointed to a stack of hatboxes on the top shelf. She was way too short to reach them. "The second to the top will make your outfit."

Tens reached up and lifted a hatbox down. Auntie removed the lid and peeled back the yellowed tissue paper. She drew out a charcoal fedora with a blue satin band and said to Tens. "Lean down."

He bent, scrunching his knees until Auntie could reach his head easily. She perched the hat at an angle.

101.

My heart stuttered and I reminded myself to breathe. Tens towered like one of those black-ani and-white movie stars -a gangster, dangerous, possessive.

*"You like?" He turned to me.

I couldn't get words out; I just nodded.

"Dashing,"' Auntie proclaimed with a clap of her hands. She marched out ahead of us to the Land Rover. "We're going to be late if we don't hurry."

I tried to glide past Tens rather than trip over my feet. I didn't quite accomplish a glide, but I didn't make an a.s.s of myself.

"Wanna trade?" he whispered to me.

I choked back a laugh. The vision of him wearing Auntie's ancient tulle on his head sent giggles fizzing in my stomach. "Absolutely," I said over my shoulder as he locked the dead bolt on the front door.

Tens turned another corner. Packed parking lots spread out in front of us. In the distance, set against the backdrop of the Sangre de Cristos Mountains, was the enormous structure of cement and chrome we'd driven past the night before. It was a building better suited to a population of ten times what Revelation boasted. "Is that a church or an airport?"

"Yeah. I always think it looks like it's missing the planes." Tens muttered.

"Wait till you see inside this monstrosity. I snuck in once to see what the fuss was about."

Auntie said, patting my shoulder.

We turned right and it seemed like the world got brighter, as if the sun came out and this street was happier.

"I'll drop you off and go park." Tens said, addressing Auntie.

"You don't have to -"

"Yes, I do." He weaved his way between pedestrians smiling and laughing like they were heading to a party and not to church. The women's hats, veils, and heels complemented the men's three-piece suits and shined shoes.

Tens braked in the drop zone and I unbuckled my seat belt. "Brace yourself," he said to me, then glanced away as if he wanted to say more but didn't know how.

"Come on, child. Let's face this head-on."

I opened the door and held on to Auntie's arm as she avoided snowdrifts and ice piles along the curb. The hair on the back of my neck bristled.

Tens met my eyes, but I couldn't read his expression. "I'll be right back."

I nodded and put my gloved hand over Auntie's.

102.

"We'll wait here for Tens." she said, patting me.

a ni *Cheerful conversation seemed to cease around us. A man I didn't recognize, in resplendent robes of pure white, stood in the doorway and greeted each person. He leaned toward another man, who whispered and pointed at us.

"Are they talking about us?" I asked, embarra.s.sment flushing my cheeks.

"Let's go say h.e.l.lo." Auntie pretended not to notice and marched over.

"Do we have to?" I muttered.

"Jack, how nice to see you today. May I introduce you to my niece, Meridian?" Turning to me she said, "Jack and his wife, Nicole, have six beautiful children I helped deliver. The eldest is heading to college next year. How are the kids, Jack?"

"Fine. I'm glad you came. Merry. We pray for your soul at dinner every night."

"Isn't that nice." Auntie touched his arm and ignored his wince. "Have you found a job yet?"

"The Reverend helped me get a position at the high school."

I pretended not to notice the whispers and stares as people moved around us, giving us a wide berth.

"If you'll excuse me, I need to welcome the people behind you."' Jack turned away before he'd even finished the sentence.

"Don't you know all of these people?" I asked Auntie.

She nodded, not once looking at me. "I used to. They decided knowing me wasn't worth the risk. Or they moved here to rid the town of people like me." she said, answering my unspoken question. "Oh, here comes your young man." She smiled at Tens's approach.

"Ok he's not -"

"Of course he is." She chuckled.

Tens strode up to us in the long trench and debonair hat. I could almost see a smile in his eyes. He presented Auntie with his arm. "Shall we?"

"Yes, thank you." She took his arm and I could see a flash of the young woman she'd once been with her Charles.

I started to follow them and realized my hands shook.

Tens reached over and linked his fingers through mine. "I'm here," he said.

I nodded, unsure why fear clamped my gut. I had to close my mouth several times while we walked through the s.p.a.cious hallways. They were lined with stained-gla.s.s windows depicting scenes from the Bible, and music from a huge organ filled the s.p.a.ce with hymns.

103.

This building, and these people, made me feel very small.

a ni *

Chapter 20.

The greeter pa.s.sing out programs ignored us even though Auntie addressed him directly.

"Nice to see you, Devlin. I trust your children are healthy?" We didn't pause, but walked right by him.

I kept my eyes straight ahead as Auntie led us down the center of the sanctuary. It was huge, with gleaming organ pipes and a clear Lucite pulpit that floated above the congregation. I knew my neck would hurt by the end of the service.

A fly buzzed near my ear for just a minute and then fell silent as it hit the floor behind me. I prayed there were no dying people in the church with us.

The low hum of whispers and the creaking of people shifting in their pews trailed behind us.

It felt as though the entire town was present.

"I think they're expecting me to go up in flames." Auntie shook her head in admonishment.

"Almost everyone I know is here, save a few."

She stopped at a half-filled pew and gestured for me to enter. I didn't want to let go of Tens's hand, so I didn't. I clung to it as a mother with three small children scooted down to the far end of the pew, then moved several rows back.

The familiar strains of a Sunday-school song swelled through the amplifiers and camouflaged speakers around us. With every song change, the energy and fervor rose. The congregation sang, clapped, and danced as one. Sweat glazed the faces around us, but the singing continued.

A roar from the crowd made me turn. Forming an inverted V, Perimo and a gang of robed men with the walk and carriage of bodyguards came down the center aisle.

Auntie leaned over Tens to say to me, "His twelve quasi disciples."

The last three, including Perimo, were inhuman in their beauty. They were the After photographs of the best plastic surgeons.

Reverend Perimo was the point of the V, clearly absorbing the energy around him. He paused to greet people and touch the hands of a lucky few on his march down the aisle. His step didn't falter when he reached our pew; instead he dipped his head to Auntie and gave me a smile that was both sinister and secretive. I didn't know if that was a good thing or a challenge accepted, but I had a feeling I'd find out.

He spoke into a tiny flesh-colored head mike when the music paused. "I will sing praise to the Lord G.o.d of Israel.'"

He raised his hands like he was blessing the choir and used a conductor's move to shut down the sound. Everyone fell silent. I hung on to Tens's hand and he squeezed back.

104ani *Reverend Perimo then faced the congregation. "First off, I see new faces in the seats today.

We have prayed you'd hear the Almighty's word in your life and join us in this holy place.

Can I get an Amen?"

The people replied as one. "Amen."

Reverend Perimo continued. "When I blow with a trumpet. I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side ...' "He raised his hands, and trumpets sounded as if from everywhere at once.

"Amen. Amen." Reverend Perimo stepped up to the pulpit. His posse settled in huge, ornate velvet-covered chairs behind him.

"I am not eloquent ... And the Lord said unto him ... I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shall say.' I have been asked why I use the Bible as the foundation of my ministry. I am but a man, like you, human and fallible. But the Lord's word was given to us at creation. It's a great gift. The answer to every question is in here." He lifted an enormous Bible off the podium in front of him. "Your souls know the truth. You know that like Moses I only speak as the Almighty commands. I have proven this to you time and again. Who told you to watch your cattle?"

"You did!" a woman shouted.

"Who warned you that wandering children are the devil's playthings?"

"You did!" A man raised his fist.

His voice was mesmerizing. This was the Bible as if delivered from heaven above. The acoustics of the church gave a rich timbre to his voice and absoluteness to the words as he continued quoting the Old Testament.

Tens nudged me and I surveyed the other impeccably groomed men flanking Perimo.

"Those tallest ones came to town right after he got here."

One of his twelve stood, his gaze gathering in everyone seated below. "Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.'"